


muses

by comingbacktoyou



Category: GOT7
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Rimming, Slow Burn, Star Trek AU, Temporary Character Death, a lot of people die but they aren't main characters don't worry, jaebum as kirk, jinyoung as spock, no one dies for real I could never..., this is kind of a mixture of both the original series and the reboot so, you all know why !!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 11:04:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 120,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10333238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comingbacktoyou/pseuds/comingbacktoyou
Summary: “Your dad gave his life for-”“Yeah, yeah I know,” Jaebum interrupts, voice ringing through the empty bar. “My dad gave his life for Starfleet and died with honors. I’ve heard this story a thousand times before. No offense, but why should it matter to me? Why are you here telling me what I’ve known since I was five years old?”Jaebum has been running for 16 years when his past finally catches up with him.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi so I've been working on this for a while now bc I love Star Trek/Kirk & Spock and Got7. This first chapter will be an intro to the characters and story, whereas the following chapters will be more episodic and have their own different adventures like the original series did. For stardates (I'll use the example 2050.67), the first four numbers indicate the year, and the number after the period indicates the day of that year. So for the example, it's the 67th day of the year 2050! I'll be updating every other Thursday, so this can be like a nice gift to finish off your busy weeks!
> 
> Disclaimer: Some things I've described are not the same as they are in the real star trek canon. I've altered a few aspects just to make things easier for me to write. Hard core fans might pick up on them while others may not, so before you come at me claiming inaccuracies, just assume I know and have changed them for a reason.
> 
> Shout out to my beta Mel madeuplovesong for fixing all my run-ons you da best !!!!
> 
> If you would like to come chat or ask me questions my twitter is @LILPEPIVERT don't be shy !!!!
> 
> Without further adieu...

_**"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the USS Got7. It's five year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."** _

  _Stardate 2232_

_“THIS IS CAPTAIN IM. I REPEAT THIS IS CAPTAIN IM OF THE USS KELVIN,” he screamed, the quiver in his voice matching the tremble in his hands as he breathed over the communicator. “OUR LOCATION IS 24.45.11.06, JUST OUTSIDE OF THE NEBULAN SYSTEM. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK.”_

_A series of seven blasts rocked the hull. He felt the last leg of his ship give out, the beams they’re caught in from the oncoming ship blinding his eyes on deck. He’d still had control of her, barely, even with the onset of the attack._

_The rest of the crew, he’d sent them off long ago, long before the attack could have ever gotten that disastrous. It was the Captain’s duty to remain upon the ship, protecting her from her foes. It was his last option, to protect the crew. To protect his family. It was his last job before returning to his pod to eject himself into the nearby nothingness of space._

_"HELLO PLEASE, STARFLEET IF THERE’S ANYONE LISTENING. THIS IS THE USS KELVIN, REQUESTING ASSISTANCE. WE ARE BEING ATTACKED BY AN ENEMY SHIP-”_

_The computer let out a low ‘ping’, two words dimly illuminating the screen._

_AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED._

_His breath came out slow in that instant, while his brain absorbed every bit of information he was given. With the autopilot broken, there was no way for him to keep the ship moving to her destination while he escaped._

_Another shot sliced its way through the main hatch, sending the system into complete madness._

_SHIELDS AT 9 PERCENT._

_The Captain shifted his attention from the comm to the front of the ship, knowing now what he had to do._

_He ran to the control panel, programming the coordinates by hand until the destination was set. He wiped the moisture from his brow, finding his position back in the captain’s chair. This was a place where he had come to make a name for himself, aboard the large vessel, and throughout the whole of Starfleet._

_As he knew these were going to be the last moments of his life, he used the last remaining power from the ship to send a message._

_TWO MINUTES TO TRAJECTORY._

_“This is Captain Im of the USS Kelvin. Our live communications have been disrupted, so I’m hoping my log will somehow make it back. I’m afraid this is going to be quick, as I do not have much time left. The ship’s autopilot has malfunctioned, so I’m left to pilot this thing away from the others,” he let his eyes fall closed, willing his mind to think of something better. He had to make it count, but how do you say everything you’ve wanted to say from the past thirty years in less than two minutes?_

_ONE MINUTE TO TRAJECTORY._

_“The crew has performed admirably. It has been an honor to serve as your captain, and I know one day you will make amazing captains and first officers.”_

_Now the hardest part._

_“Seohyun,” the Captain gasped, willing himself to release the air trapped in his chest. “I couldn’t have asked for a better wife. You have brought me more joy than any man could ask for these past ten years. I will always cherish you. Don't wait for me.”_

_THIRTY SECONDS TO TRAJECTORY._

_“Jaebum, I'm sorry I won't be able to make it to your fifth birthday party. Happy Birthday my son, daddy loves you so much. You’ve got to be a big boy now, because I won’t be around anymore. Be good and take care of your mother for me okay?”_

_FIVE_

_“I just want to say,”_

_FOUR_

_“One day we'll meet again.”_

_THREE_

_“But for now,”_

_TWO_

_“This is,”_

_ONE_

_“Goodb-”._

Stardate 2248.314

 

There isn’t anything special about Earth. It’s dull, dirty, and full of people that would jump at the chance to slit your throat. The food is sub par, the air is polluted, and there isn’t anything on this planet that interests Im Jaebum.

Except the muscle pig who’s about to send a jab straight to his chin. But then again that’s just a typical day in Marin County.

Jaebum dodges the fist pummeling towards him with ease, and kicks his foot out, hooking it on the guys shin. There are people shouting at them in his peripherals, but Jaebum’s too focused on his target to care. He watches with exhilaration as the man’s mass brings him spiraling to the floor of whatever bar Jaebum managed to cause trouble in this time. He honestly doesn’t remember how the fight even started, and based on the amount of alcohol sloshing around in his body, he guesses he was probably the instigator. He usually is.

Muscle pig regains his footing, nostrils flaring in fury, as Jaebum stands there holding his ground with a slight smirk on his face.

“What Pookie, you wanna try that again?” Jaebum isn't known to back down from a challenge. Before the man gets a chance to take another swing, Jaebum gets a good look at him- as best as he can in his nearly inebriated state. Honestly this guy must be the worst fighter he’s ever seen. Usually, whoever Jaebum had picked a fight with would have already knocked him out considering the state he’s in.

But back to the muscle pig. His shirt is what catches Jaebum’s eye. Because while it is incredibly ugly- he would laugh if he wasn’t about to get his face beat in- there was something about it that seemed all too familiar. He racks his brain over how such an inconsiderable article of clothing could have such a habitual sense to it, when his eyes gloss over the tiny detail on the upper left corner that he’d tried to burn out of his brain ever since he was five years old.

An insignia.

“I thought Starfleet required every officer to be trained in hand to hand combat,” Jaebum spins to face his new friend head on, raising his fists chest-level to match his own. He chuckles, “I guess you were one of the rejects.”

All brawn no brains doesn’t seem to like that, lunging forward into Jaebum’s space. Jaebum is quick to dodge the first fist, but the vodka he previously drank catches up to him at the same time the guy takes another swing. His fist collides headfirst into Jaebum’s jaw, sending a jolt of white hot pain through the base of his skull. He hasn’t even hit the floor yet and can already taste the coppery liquid seeping from his mouth.

The force of the blow drives him into a nearby table, and he grunts as a few shot glasses shatter underneath his jacket. Black spots engulf his vision for a split second, and he doesn’t get a chance to regain himself before the Starfleet officer is gripping his shirt with both hands and lifting him up. Jaebum’s legs dangle as he tries to untangle himself from the man who he actually thinks might be able to kill him.

There’s a loud ‘pang’ in his left ear, and he vaguely makes out another voice behind him yelling, at who he doesn’t know, but it’s most likely himself.

“Put him down and get back to your station. NOW OFFICER.”

Following the orders of whomever Jaebum still has yet to get a good look at, the officer releases him from his vice grip with a groan, and Jaebum lands directly on his ass on the sticky floor beneath him.

He doesn’t look up to meet his savior's eyes, choosing to cradle his jaw instead. The guy got a good lick in, which Jaebum will definitely be feeling in the morning. His chiseled jaw, which he takes pride in as one of his best features, will most likely not be looking so pretty in a few hours. Looks like he won’t be going out much while it recovers.

The man steps in front of him then, and Jaebum takes in his stiff posture and professional outfit. Just from the pants and shoes alone, Jaebum can tell this man is of higher rank than the guy that tried to dislocate his jaw. And from his voice, he was probably a lot older too. When he decides to speak, it nearly gives Jaebum a heart attack.

“Im Jaebum.” The Starfleet captain(?) says pointedly. Jaebum has no recollection of ever giving the man his name. “My boy it’s been a long time.” He holds out a stiff hand in front of Jaebum, and yes, by the look of it, this man is much older.

Jaebum takes this as an opportunity to get a good look at the guy who somehow knows him. First, accepting his hand as he's pulled to his feet. Jaebum now stands eye-level with the - admiral, as he now sees from the insignia on his uniform. The admiral’s insignia is a shiny golden color, indicating his top rank, as opposed to the other officers, whose insignias are only a brassy silver color.

But this person - this man - Jaebum doesn’t know what to think of him. He has to be around his mid-fifties, with sleek black hair buzzed enough to give it some definition. His rectangular face and sharp chin give him an air of familiarity, but Jaebum can’t place it. Things are still fuzzy to him, not just because of the drinks he’s had.

“How do you know my name?” Jaebum tries to demand menacingly, but the pain in his jaw makes it hard to open his mouth far, so it comes out slightly above a wimpy whisper.

The admiral, still holding onto Jaebum’s hand, leads him to the empty bar where he offers him a seat. Jaebum looks around the bar to take in the damage he and the jerk caused, before plopping down onto the bar stool. It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be; only two tables were uprooted, and a few glasses were broken. There was also the fact that they cleared the whole place, but Jaebum forgets that small detail to fix his eyes straight at the man who he swears he’s never met before.

“Who are you?”

The admiral sighs, reaching a hand over the unmanned counter to pour himself a glass of what appears to be whiskey. “It’s only been what Jaebum, 16 years?” He drops one, two pieces of ice into his glass, then takes a sip. “Didn’t think you’d grow up to be like this. Imagine what your dad would think.”

That causes Jaebum’s anger to flare, grinding his teeth as he jumps up from his stool to hover over this man, who had no business talking to him about his father. He didn’t even know him.

“Who the hell are you and what gives you the right to talk about my father?” He snarls, a few seconds from loosening one or two teeth from the old geezer’s mouth.

The guy isn’t put off by Jaebum’s glare, giving him a hearty chuckle as he sets his now finished glass onto the counter in front of him. His nonchalant response to Jaebum’s anger only serves to fuel the fire inside him more, his hand latching onto the back of his chair with such power that his knuckles go white. He’s hoping if he stares hard enough, this guy will burst into flames.

“Alright simmer down hotshot. Sit,” he taps the chair with two fingers, but Jaebum doesn’t relinquish from his stance. “Jesus, kid alright. If it’ll take your edge off, my name is Admiral Park of Starfleet. Most people tend to just call me JYP. Now will you sit for a moment?”

This Admiral Park, Jaebum finds himself speaking to is calm, just that of what a Starfleet admiral should be. He wants to get up and flee, to get as far away from this man and Starfleet as possible. But Jaebum can’t get his brain to communicate with his feet in the ways he wants them to. He finds his body already moving to sit down, once more facing the admiral. He searches Jaebum’s eyes for a moment, regarding them with care before sighing.

 “You look so much like him when he was your age.”

Jaebum scoffs, eyes roaming back over the empty room. As if he hasn’t heard that everyday for the past sixteen years. “I wouldn’t know,” he doesn’t even try to fight the animosity dripping from his tongue.

Admiral Park chuckles, “You have his attitude too. I’m glad. Always said you were gonna be a fierce one when you got older.”

“How did you know my father?” It slips out without him realizing, and he immediately regrets asking. He wants to keep anything related to his dad, and Starfleet, in the past.

 “Me and your dad went way back kid,” the admiral says fondly, dazing off to remember their shared past together. “I was the one who recruited him to Starfleet. I knew he would make one hell a a captain.”

“Yeah and look at where that got him,” Jaebum rasps under his breath, but not low enough for Admiral Park to miss, whose head snaps up to meet his. But he isn’t angry or upset. He’s content, and Jaebum can’t read him.

“Your dad gave his life for-”

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Jaebum interrupts, voice ringing through the empty bar. “My dad gave his life for Starfleet and died with honors. I’ve heard this story a thousand times before. No offense, but why should it matter to me? Why are you here telling me what I’ve known since I was five years old?”

 Jaebum’s obvious hostility fails to phase the admiral, who only regards him with sad eyes. “I took a look into your file, Jaebum. Bar fights, vandalism, bad mouthing police officers. What’s the point?”

It’s not like he hasn’t been asked that before either so he replies with his standard answer, “There is no point.”

“Then why do it? Your college placement exams are off the chart. You excel in mathematics and physics, yet you’re here getting your ass beat every other day. Doesn’t that get tiring?”

Jaebum smirks, hoping to push the admiral's buttons. “Not at all. I love a good hustle.”

“If you love fighting so bad, why don’t you join Starfleet?” Admiral Park questions without a hint of sarcasm evident in his voice. Jaebum would laugh if the thought didn’t freeze him to his seat. “Come on Jaebum. With these kind of scores, you could surpass all the other students. Be ready to ship out in only a year or so, instead of throwing your life away here.”

And with that, Jaebum gives the guy a sweet goodbye not wanting to waste anymore time on a man who thinks he can make comments on his life without actually knowing him. He suppresses his anger long enough to jump up from the stool and head towards the exit, back facing the admiral.

“Starfleet is a pathetic waste of space and time,” he sing-songs, giving one last thought, knowing well enough he sounds like a complete asshole. As if he would ever subject himself to that kind of lifestyle just because he had the brains for it. “And besides, I like throwing my life away here. Better than throwing it away up there.”

There's a pause like the admiral is thinking of what to say next, and then lowly he hears, “You probably couldn’t handle it anyway.” He knows it was purposefully said just loud enough for him to hear. He wants to keep walking, but his feet are doing the same thing again where they refuse to listen to his brain, keeping him rooted to the floor.

He doesn’t turn around; he doesn’t want the older man to know that Jaebum can never back down from a challenge, no matter the circumstance. He curses his genes for that one.

“You don’t know anything about me,” Jaebum spits, chin jutting out as he imagines shutting this guy up with his fist. “Starfleet is child’s play to me.”

“Then fine. Stay here. You’ll never amount to anything like your father was.”

That gets Jaebum’s blood boiling to the point of exploding. “ENOUGH.”

“You can’t handle becoming something extraordinary,” he taunts, and Jaebum’s drunk enough to continue to let him.

“Yes. I. Can.” Jaebum huffs each word with an outtake of breath, ready to bolt. He can’t hear this anymore. If he does, he might end up doing something he’ll regret. “You don’t know what I can and can’t do.”

“Then prove me wrong,” the admiral answers, sounding even closer than before, his voice slicing through Jaebum like an icy knife. He still doesn’t turn around. “I dare you to do better.”

The admiral gives no further attention and brushes past Jaebum, who remains frozen in the doorway. He’s gone, leaving Jaebum to pick through the pieces.

Now, if there’s one thing everyone knows about Im Jaebum, is that he doesn’t back down from a dare. But this, this isn’t a dare. This is his whole life. This was his dad's whole life. He wasn’t joining Starfleet.

He wasn’t.

Nope.

 

Stardate 2250.1

 

“Come on Mark!” Shouts Jaebum in his friend’s ear, shaking his shoulders as they speed walk to JYP’s office. Well, more like Jaebum is speed walking and Mark is just trying to catch up, going along with whatever Jaebum has asked him to do, yet again. “Why else would he be calling me up to his office if not to make me his first officer?”

Mark brushes the younger’s hands off of his red cadet uniform, laughing in amusement. “I don’t know Jaebum, maybe it’s about the fact that you hacked into the school’s system and changed a bunch of their codes,” he says seriously, but there’s a slight tone of humor evident in his voice. After all, he was the one to suggest it.

“I didn’t do anything that bad! I just changed the menus to serve the petrified strawberries on Wednesday instead of Friday!” Jaebum sighs contently, vaguely reminiscing about how Mark and the rest of his friends had dared him to do it. The whole process was really so simple, breaking into Starfleet’s system. He just had to create a pathway to the main frame then enter in a few security details and he was able to open up anything. He could have done it in his sleep. It wasn’t even like he did something bad like breaking into the weapons system or rerouting their security chambers. Which he totally didn’t even think about doing. Not at all.

But that couldn’t be the reason, he covered his tracks very carefully, even installing a secured hard drive so they couldn’t trace it back to his computer. He was quite handy with technology, among other things. No, he was sure JYP was calling him up because he was going to be offering him a position on his crew, and more specifically as his first officer. That would put him second in command to the captain himself, and he would take charge if anything ever happened to the admiral.

It all made sense. Jaebum took on his challenge of joining Starfleet, and in the literal sense of the phrase made a complete 360 with his life. Well more like a 340. He doesn’t pick fights anymore and toned down his cynical outlook on life, but still manages to find some forms of fun -even if it means sliding by the rules.  He had managed to complete the program in a little over a year. It wasn’t easy by any means, and he will admit that he was all big talk when he said it would be like child’s play. It was a challenge for sure, but he finished second of the class. He would have been first if it wasn't for that robot that seemed hell-bent on taking him down every chance he got.

Their graduation is scheduled for later that day, when they’ll finally become full fledged officers of Starfleet, one step up from cadets. They’ll be getting their vessel assignments too, and then abroad on their five-year missions exploring new worlds and seeking out new forms of civilization.

Jaebum is so lost in his thoughts that he almost misses Admiral Park’s office completely, legs carrying him in long strides. But luckily, Mark is there to yank him back by the collar of his red jacket before he walks directly into another body, this one clad in a blue uniform. 

Jaebum realizes he almost collided with a commander, one of higher rank. “I’m so sorry Commander,” he stammers out while bowing in respect, ready to apologize further. That is until he looks up at the officer before him, and spectacularly shifts himself into a one-eighty degree position. He swallows. Great.

“Why thank you Cadet Im. I do believe this is the first time you’ve exchanged pleasantries with me,” comes from none other than the robot Park Jinyoung himself, standing in front of Jaebum with his pointed ears and his overall annoying… well everything.

Commander Park Jinyoung, for lack of better words, is the bane of Jaebum’s existence. He’s arrogant, rude, and just plain irritable. He’s a little bit younger than Jaebum but acts as if he’s been around for much longer, and has been in the Starfleet program way before Jaebum even stepped foot in the school. He also holds the rank of commander, which means everyone below has to take orders from him, including Jaebum.

The story of how they met is excruciatingly bothersome. Neither left good first impressions on the other, which have stuck for the past year. Jaebum was picked to be captain of a flight simulator, its main purpose being to put you in the face of ultimate death. The simulation was supposed to teach you how to act in your last moments and is said to be unbeatable. But then Jaebum came in, and with his quick wit and sharp senses was able to beat the game and save himself and his “crew.” This was apparently considered cheating, and Jaebum was tried in Starfleet’s version of court. His accuser was Jinyoung, who coincidentally had created the game. After only a few minutes of deliberation, Jaebum left the room with a three-week suspension and Jinyoung’s smug face permanently burned into his retinas.

Jinyoung is not like any other person around here. For starters, he’s not human. At least, not fully human. Born to his vulcan father and human mother, Jinyoung is the only one of his kind. He regains traits from both species, which is why his intelligence levels surpass the rest of his class, and why Jaebum was never able to reach the top. The vulcan part of him makes him seemingly emotionless, but highly logical; Jaebum doesn’t know which half of him he despises more.

“Well I didn’t know it was you, Commander,” he finally replies curtly, and feels Mark step up behind him, glad to have him as backup in case things got heated, as they usually did when Jinyoung was involved. There was just something about Jaebum that pissed him off the most, and the commander never let an opportunity pass to take a jab at him.

“Are you asserting that if you had known it was me, you would not have apologized?” Jinyoung’s voice is dull and robotic, it grinds Jaebum’s gears. He knows it’s because of his vulcan genes, but Jaebum thinks he should just learn to speak like a normal person. He should try to at least make sense of his other half.

“That’s exactly what I’m ‘asserting’,” he chuckles, using the vulcan-human hybrid’s unnecessarily big words against him. Honestly, he doesn’t think the human part of Jinyoung even exists. “Goodbye Commander,” Jaebum waves with a faux smile on his face, gesturing for Mark to follow him to JYP’s door. But of course, Jinyoung could never just leave it at that. Oh, how Jaebum dreamed he could rip the tips of his freakish ears off.

“Ah, I see you were called into a meeting with the Admiral,” Jinyoung is stoic, hands coming up to fold neatly at his front. But there’s a glint in his eyes that only serves to send a shiver down Jaebum’s spine. “I sincerely hope it’s not the matter of your hacking into the mainframe. If it is, then it shall be I who should be extending apologies to you.”

Jaebum’s face falls, and he can feel Mark back away from the verbal assault he knows is about to happen.

“I think I’ll go find Yugyeom or something. Um, good luck with your meeting!” Mark yells as he rushes down the hallway and out of sight. He might be the first person Jaebum met at the academy and one of the best doctors he’s ever seen perform, but he’s actually one of the worst friends ever, flaking at barely the first sight of trouble.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, _Commander,_ ” he smiles, venom practically dripping from his tongue.

Jinyoung only smirks. If Jaebum thought he was a killer when he pulled his own lips up like that, it was nothing compared to when Park Jinyoung did it. Jinyoung’s sinister grin sends a thousand tiny knives into his chest every time he’s on the receiving end. For someone who is semi-emotionless, he sure conveys them with ease.

“Oh? Do you also have no recollection of you and Dr. Tuan sneaking down to the radio lab and reprogramming our air waves to catch, in your words some, ‘hot alien babes’?”

Woah wait a minute, that was a secret between him and Mark. And they covered their tracks. Jinyoung couldn’t possibly know about that, unless Mark let it slip out. In which case, he was going to have to have a long chat with his friend later. Maybe that’s why he ran off so quickly.

“How the hell do you know about that?” Jaebum snarls, minimizing the distance between them until there is only an inch between their faces. Intimidation is key.

But Jinyoung is unaffected, remaining in his stance without blinking, “Just how I know everything that goes on here Jaebum, I ask. You’d be surprised at how good I am at negotiating.” Jaebum says nothing, choosing to grit his teeth in response. Jinyoung takes this as his cue to finish his little speech, “If that will be all Cadet, then I shall see you at the graduation ceremony. Maybe.”

The vulcan tops it all off with a curt bow, standing up to put his tousled black hair into place as he rearranges his uniform. As Jaebum watches his retreating form in his periphery, he stands facing away from the door to the office a moment, willing himself to not punch a hole in the nearby wall, and to rid every trace of Park Jinyoung from his mind. He’ll be done with him soon enough; they’ll be getting their assignments later today and then they’ll both be out of each other’s hair for the next five years. Jaebum couldn’t ask for it to come sooner.

Unfurling the fists he hadn’t realized he made, he regains his composure and grips the handle to JYP’s office with a clammy hand. He makes his way into the room, now expecting the worst due to Park’s admission. Expecting to be met with the sight of a dismissal paper and his things packed, Jaebum shuts his eyes, bracing for impact.

_Any second now, he’ll be yelling and throwing me out of the program. Oh shit, what am I’m gonna do after that? I can’t go back to ripping off old ladies or getting the shit beat out of every weekend. Goddammit Jaebum why do you have this superiority complex where you can’t turn anything down I’m surprised you haven’t already got kicked out with your-_

“CONGRATULATIONS JAEBUM.”

And that’s… not at all what he was expecting to hear. Well, it was before he bumped into his arch nemesis, but… what?

He peeks through his lids just in case this is all one big prank to humiliate Jaebum before he gets thrown out on his ass, but he’s met with the sight of his admiral beaming up at him with a grin stretching from ear to ear. He doesn’t ever think he’s seen JYP smile like that.

Jaebum doesn’t know what to say as he opens his eyes fully. His mind fumbles over a reply, all that ends up coming out is an incredulous, “What?”

If JYP senses his confusion, he doesn’t comment on it, only getting close in his space before engulfing him in a rather tight hug.

“You did it son,” he laughs lightheartedly, his hug viper-like as it nearly knocks the air out of Jaebum. He finishes it off with a few manly pats on the back, releasing the twenty two year old to stand back at his desk. “They told me you wouldn’t, that I was a fool for letting you into this program. But here you are.”

“So… this isn’t about the strawberries thing?” Jaebum realizes what he just said as he says it, and snaps his jaw shut.

“What strawberries thing?”

“Oh nothing, I just... It’s nothing. Anyway,” he’s quick to cover up his words, still in a daze For once he’s standing in the admiral’s office without receiving a minor suspension for doing god knows what. “Um thank you, Admiral. I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you.”

JYP waves him off with the flick of his wrist. “No no, you got into Starfleet on your own accord, and you completed the program without any help from me. Which is why…” He trails off, leaving Jaebum frozen in his place as he goes to stand behind his desk.

Oh shit, was he…? Was he going to do what Jaebum had originally come in thinking, and make him his first officer? Was he going to tell him before the graduation where they’d get their assignments, as a surprise?

Jaebum waits for his admiral to give him the best news of his life, but is oddly taken aback when JYP shuffles something out of his desk, and lays out a finely wrapped box in front of him. It’s covered in white wrapping paper, with strings of red ribbon dangling from the top.

“Sir, you really didn’t have to-”

JYP snorts, tossing the gift to Jaebum, who catches it with ease. “Good thing I didn’t. Not supposed to show favoritism to any of the cadets. It’s from your mom.”

Oh. Upon further inspection, it did look like something his mom would throw together. He could identify her handiwork from the various Christmases and birthdays he’s spent with her. He told her about the graduation of course but, he didn’t think his mom would do anything. After his father died, she got rid of everything related to Starfleet, and nearly forbade the word from being uttered in their home. It’s part of the reason why Jaebum grew up hating the organization so much, and why he promised he would never join. When he told her he was, of course, she got upset and hung up the phone. He hadn’t spoken to her again until he knew the date of his graduation. I had been a futile attempt, even then he knew she wasn’t going to come.

With the gift feeling hot in his hands, he waits for approval from JYP and begins to unwrap the present in his office.

Once the paper is removed and the lid is tossed aside, Jaebum pulls out the first thing nestled inside: a small note written in his mother's handwriting on a white sheet of paper.

_Jaebum, I'm sorry I cannot come to the ceremony, but you of all people know why. Even though I had hoped you would never follow in your father’s footsteps, as your mother I will always wish for you to have success. I’ve saved this for a very long time, your father wanted you to have it one day._

_-Your devoted Mother_

_Please come back to me._

His eyes trace over the scribble one last time, forcing everything on his mind back before placing it on the admiral’s desk. His mother’s words echo from a deep past she wishes not to revisit, and it digs a knife through his heart at the thought of disappointing her. Without wanting to wait a single second, he removes the white tissue, and scoops out what looks to be some sort of yellow uniform at first. But upon further examination, eyes darting from the sleeves to the gold insignia on the chest, Jaebum realizes that it’s not one of the regular uniforms he’s seen wandering around the halls, no. It’s older and a little dingy, and it’s his father’s. Or was, he should say.

Jaebum had no idea that it even existed in the first place, let alone that his mother had been harboring it for all these years. Why she never told him about it, he has no idea. But perhaps she truly wished to erase everything related to him, or she kept it as one last keepsake from his life before it ended.

“You can wear it when you ship out,” Admiral Park’s scruffy voice breaks through his thoughts; he forgot where he was for a moment. “But don’t think you can call the shots just because of the rank on that shirt. You’re still only going to be a first officer after all.”

Jaebum’s head snaps up to meet the admiral’s eyes, searching for a beat, like the man’s going to say, “surprise!” at any moment.

“I’m sorry sir, did you just say-”

“First officer, you heard me,” Jaebum continues to looks at him incredulously even though he came in here with the idea originally; he never imagined it would be true though. “When I first found you in that bar, you were lost, indifferent, mouthy. Well, you’ve still got the biggest mouth on you.” Jaebum can’t help but laugh at that.

“But you came here, and just in one year alone turned yourself around. You became one of the school’s finest students, and have taken a love to understanding the universe.”

It’s true. Before joining Starfleet he had hated the institution, the place that took his father from him. He would have broken someone’s nose if they told him he would be accepting a first officer position last year, but now he gladly embraces the job. His mind was so skewed from underlying feelings of heartbreak that he had misunderstood the academy and everything it stood for. But now, after joining on a dare, this past year opened his love for the unknown, and deepened his need for exhilaration. When he first entered, he swore it was only to be some petty officer that had no real vital role in the operation of a ship. But Jaebum has a natural born talent to lead, one that wouldn’t be fulfilled if he sat in the back of a ship all day.

“Thank you so much Admiral, I don’t know what to say.”

JYP smiles warmly, offering Jaebum a squeeze to his arm. “You don’t have to say anything Im. Especially not to Commander Park. Can’t have him knowing he has to answer to you now yet. I believe he won’t be too pleased with either of us.”

This is the best day of Jaebum’s life. He gets his father’s old uniform, is made first officer, and gets to rub it all over Jinyoung’s snobby face.

“Now get going kid,” JYP says, beginning to open the door for him. “You have a ceremony to get ready for and what not.”

Jaebum doesn’t think thanks is suffice, so he leaves his new captain with a ninety degree bow out of respect. Then he silently makes his way through the corridors with a sly grin on his face. He can’t wait for Park to get a load of this.

He pulls out his personal comm. “Hey Mark, you owe me shots.”

The ceremony is a sea of red and scattered blue. Each cadet waits for their name to be called so they can receive their certificate and vessel/job assignments. It’s sweltering outside and the clouds are doing nothing for coverage, but they manage to finish without someone having a heatstroke.

Their other good friend Yugyeom is the first to go up out of all of them, proud to be one of the youngest graduating at the age of nineteen, standing a foot taller than the other officers around him. Jaebum is called towards the middle, giving light handshakes to every admiral that stands on the stage, all looking at him like he hung the moon. Jaebum feels like he might have. He sits back down and makes eye contact with Mark, who mouths a “bitch” at him.

A few minutes pass as students of all different species and colors take the stage, and then the P’s are called, and Jaebum waits for Jinyoung to assume his position with the rest of the students. He spends time talking to each admiral like the kissass he is, and takes even longer to finish his small conversation with JYP before he’s being ushered off the stage. Jaebum sees the exact moment Jinyoung reads his assignment, and feels his eyes snap over to his in an instant. His brown irises burn, and Jaebum has to look away, to avoid laughing in his defeat.

Mark goes up, and mouths, “Got7” with a thumbs up when he passes Jaebum in his seat. Such a relief that they get assigned to the same ship. He knew they would, as he requested it a few weeks prior to JYP, who had only said, “Jaebum you know I don’t play favorites.”

The ceremony is over sooner than they expect, and as soon as the President of Starfleet finishes his closing remarks they are all ushered in groups to the ship bay at Starfleet headquarters.

 Jaebum waits for Mark to find him, waiting to bask in their accomplishments, but instead is hit with the deathly glare of non other than Park Jinyoung, who is shoving his way through the throng of bodies, with only him in sight. If looks could kill, Jaebum would have surely dropped right then and there, which is why he takes the opportunity to strut across campus as fast as he can before the pointy-eared devil can catch up to him. Luckily, he pulls Mark along the way by the elbow, who was also in his pursuit.

“Woah Jaebum what’s up,” Mark questions as his friend tugs him along roughly. The only thought in Jaebum’s mind is to get on board their ship before Jinyoung actually kills him. “What? Is it Jinyoung? Is the great Im Jaebum actually afraid of little Jinyoung?”

Jaebum doesn’t say anything, but lets go of Mark’s arm, who has by now gotten the message that he’s not about to get his ass chewed out by a Vulcan.

They pass the newly-inducted officers chatting all around them, some excited about their positions, some not. Most are bustling about, ready to take their lives on this new chapter, and some are a few seconds from throwing up.

“Shit Jaebum, I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to do this,” Mark admits, looking a bit paler now than he did before. Mark, even though he’s a trained medical professional, has always had a slight fear of flying. And space. And being stuck in the same place for too long. It’s amazing he’s gotten to this point; Jaebum had figured he would have dropped out of the program within a week.

“You’ll be fine,” he assures, “plus you’ll have me, First Officer Im of the USS Got7.”

“First officer?!” They hear from a shrill and energetic voice, looking to Yugyeom who’s bounding towards them with his lanky body, waving wildly and catching the attention of other officers along the way. “Whose ass did you have to kiss to become first officer?”

“No one’s. I’m just that good. Where are you assigned?”

“Got7!” The younger boy beams and high fives Mark, more comfortable now knowing that he’ll be serving his five years with at least a few people he knows. “You’re now looking at the youngest navigator to ever man a Starfleet ship.”

_A title well earned,_ Jaebum thinks, knowing well that his friend is versed in over seven thousand planets and their coordinates, spanning lightyears of space.

“What about Mark?” He asks then, also noting the color draining from the doctor’s face.

“I’m only going to be a medical officer,” he smiles short, not reaching his eyes; he had been vying for the chief position for weeks. “That is if I don’t die before then. Just forewarning you, I might throw up on one of you.” Yugyeom and Jaebum step back at the same time, laughing at Mark’s frown. “Ay! Don’t make me hit either one of you, I’m still your elder. Ranks be damned.”

Yugyeom and Jaebum share a look with amused grins, moving back to comfort Mark. He almost loses his footing when they enter the ship hangar, rows of constitution-class vessels lining the room from end to end. When they find the Got7, she looms over their heads, saucer bold and metallic matching the sleek body and turbines that extend for at least two hundred meters. Across the front it reads, ‘NCC-1701’ in big black letters, marking the class of the ship. This was going to be their home for the next five years.

“Geez, these are a lot bigger than I remembered they were,” Mark assesses, noticeably brighter upon realizing he won’t be living aboard such a cramped space, which he had originally presumed. But there was still the fact that he was going to be flying… in space… with no way out…stuck with these people... god help him.

“See Mark, everything’s going to be alright,” Jaebum reassures, rubbing the back of his friend’s neck before throwing his arms around both of them, albeit a bit difficult having to reach up to latch onto Yugyeom’s broad shoulders. “Welcome to the ship of dreams.” The boys outwardly cringe at his Titanic reference.

“God, you’re so embarrassing.”

“Shut up Jaebum.”

But Jaebum just smiles ahead and nods towards the ship, urging them ahead. “Show some respect kiddies, you’re speaking to a _commander_ now. And we’re about to-” he slams into a foreign body. “ _Oomf_.”

Jaebum detaches himself from the body, tongue hot and ready to tell the person off for walking straight into him. He looks up into the eyes of the vulcan he forgotten he was previously running away from. An overwhelming sense of deja vu washes over him, wondering if this was how the their confrontations were always going to begin.

“Jesus, Park,” he says mildly irritated, but wills himself to hold it down. He’s a commander now, and he has to act like one. Even if he’d rather break Jinyoung’s perfect little nose. “I’m starting to think you like me running into you or something.”

Jinyoung looks straight ahead, a twitch forming at the end of his mouth. “Precisely the opposite Jaebum, as I have no affinity for you whatsoever.”

_Ouch._ It stings more than it should. “Then what do you want, Commander?”

“I’m just curious as to which ship you were assigned to?” The vulcan asks in a tone that Jaebum doesn’t quite understand. He doesn’t seem angry like he usually is, or like he had a burning need to strangle him like before. He holds himself calmly, like he’s genuinely interested in his answer.

“The USS Got7,” he replies. “We’ve all been assigned to the Got7.” He motions to Mark and Yugyeom, hoping to direct the blow to all of them.

Jinyoung hums, tugging on the end of his commander uniform, and holds his hand out, palm face up. “May I see your position?”

Jaebum glances down at the hand outstretched to him, and hesitates a moment. No one misses the tension escalating, not Mark or Yugyeom, and definitely not Jaebum. Meeting his eyes, Jaebum sets his graduation certificate in the commander’s hands, and waits.

Time seems to slow down as Jinyoung brings the white diploma to his eyes, and everyone watches with a bated breath as he zooms over the page. Jaebum had wanted to shove his new rank down the other man’s throat to show how much better he could be, but now that Jinyoung is actually here, a rush of anxiety crashes into him like a wave and any witty remarks he was going to serve him with disappear in the blink of an eye.

Jaebum awaits the verbal assault, hoping Yugyeom or Mark will say something in his defense, only to be surprisingly handed the certificate back as Jinyoung meets his stare.

“I believe I should extend my congratulations to you, Commander Im,” the younger man exhumes with ease. “I shall do my best working under you as your Chief Science Officer.” Then he gives them a smile that stirs something not quite right within Jaebum. He doesn’t have time to analyze it as the loud and brash Jackson Wang spots their group and begins walking up to them.

Jackson is the only person that has ever been seen out publicly with Jinyoung, so it’s reasonable to say that they’re friends. But then again, Jackson seems to be friends with everyone at Starfleet, acting friendly to people he’s never even met before. Jackson, for lack of better words, is Starfleet’s golden variety boy. He can get along with anyone at anytime, and is able to charm you with an easy bat of his eyes. Which has even  worked on Jaebum, so much he considers them friends. They met early into Jaebum’s first semester when he followed one of the boys he’d been talking to for a while into his dorm. He turned out to be Jackson’s roommate, and well, the boy didn’t stick, but Jackson did.

Jackson is also good friends with Yugyeom, as they often frequent nearby clubs together to show off their other talents in dance, which they practice together after classes as well. Him and Mark are in this weird limbo of ‘are they, aren’t they’, due to the fact that Mark has had a major heart boner for Jackson ever since they were partners in a first year physics class. Everyone Mark hangs out with knows, except Jackson himself. One time Jaebum and him went bar hopping and Mark ended up drinking too much too handle, and confessed that Jackson was a “sexy sex on a sexy stick,” and how he wanted to “gnaw on his biceps.” Needless to say, they haven’t let him live it down since, but it still makes for great conversation and slightly awkward interactions between the two.

But out of all of them, Jackson seemed to take a liking to Jinyoung the most, for reasons Jaebum will never understand.

“Hey guys!” Jackson exclaims as he bounds towards them with a smile as blinding as the sun. “What’s happenin’? Are you guys all assigned to Got7? Me too! What are your positions?! I’m going to be helmsman! You know that other kid Youngjae is going to be our communications officer? We’re going to have the best crew in the entire program!” Jackson never loses a breath as he finishes talking, his flamboyant self motioning over the three boys in front of him, before his eyes land on Mark.

“What about you Mark? You’ve got to be the chief medical officer right?” He nudges his elbow into Mark’s side and flashes his pearly whites. “You’re like, the best doctor here.”

Mark flushes a deep shade of red, but Jackson either misses it completely, or spares Mark the embarrassment by mentioning it.

“Oh no, actually I’m just a regular medical officer,” he responds unaffected, scratching the back of his neck with a sweaty palm. “But thanks though. I try my best to you know. help.”

Jackson’s face falls as if he had invested his heart in following Mark’s career. There’s no doubt he might have, not with the way he’s looking at the doctor now with disappointment evident in his eyes. “Man that’s terrible, I would have made you the head if I was in charge. But anyways, what about you Jaebum? I know Jinyoungie here is going to be first officer so what are-”

“Actually Jackson, you are mistaken,” Jinyoung interrupts to keep him from making a fool of himself. “Commander Im has been made first officer, and I was given the role of chief science officer.”

Jaebum can see the gears grinding in Jackson’s head, putting together just what this means. He looks between the pair, unsure of why they weren’t pulling each other’s hair out yet. “No offense Jinyoung, but I would have expected you to throw down by now.”

Everyone around them snickers, leaving the two to look painfully at each other before Jinyoung breaks eye contact. Fuck why did everything Jaebum do feel like a cringey reality show for everyone to indulge in?

“I do not feel that violence is a wise course of action, especially taken by two commanders in high rank,” Jinyoung begins, speaking out loud as if Jaebum wasn’t currently standing right before him. He looks from Jackson back to him without breaking eye contact, “Besides Jackson, if I wanted to, in your words ‘throw down’, I would not be able to give Jaebum enough time to recover and board the ship before she departs. Now, let us all join the rest of the crew before we are left to our own whims. Gentlemen.”

And there it is. Jinyoung might seem collected and that he lost the first officer position to Jaebum, but his vulcan way of expressing animosity proved it had stung him if even just a little bit. It fills Jaebum with more energy than he had before, and he chooses to let it all spill out by darting past the commander and onto the loading dock, not missing a chance to knock into his shoulder on the way up. He makes his way onto the ship that will house him for the next five years.

Now that that’s out of the way, he doesn’t want to even think about Jinyoung until they have to report for takeoff. Maybe if he’s lucky, Jinyoung will be stationed elsewhere in the ship, a place where the two won’t have to interact.

He manages to find his board room easily, a single space he gets all to himself. He discovers his personal belongings have all been moved in for him. _Starfleet really works fast._ It’s smaller than a regular dorm room is, but Jaebum doesn’t mind; he doesn’t think he’ll be spending much time here anyway.

They’ve all been informed that takeoff is in less than fifteen minutes, giving him just enough time to change into his new uniform and meet the rest of the crew on the bridge. He puts on a pair of black pants that fit his legs, and takes his red jacket off, standing before his new makeshift closet, scanning the yellow long-sleeve shirts that will be a part of his uniform now. They’re all identical, except the one that sits towards the back of the closet, the one that has been collecting dust for the past sixteen years.

Jaebum fiddles with its sleeves, coarser than the rest. _No._ He can’t. It’s not his place. Plus, there would be something morbid about wearing his dead father’s clothes, in the place where he died. Yeah no.

He tugs on one of the other updated shirts, noting how it hugs his body nicely and makes his biceps look almost as great as Jackson’s. Before he goes to the bridge, he tosses his black hair back and smoothes down any wrinkles in his outfit, finally exiting the room to meet the captain at his new post.

When Jaebum reaches the bridge, he’s met with beautiful colors of white that glamorize the walls, and hi-tech computers curving around to follow the circular shape of the ship’s saucer. Sitting parallel to them is a large glass window that extends from floor to ceiling and reaches across the entire room, allowing the greatest view of space possible without threatening the safety of the entire ship.

Officers are lined around the deck, trying to find their stations. Yugyeom takes his position at one of the front navigation computers, and across from him is Jackson, typing in what is most likely coordinates or running security checks. There are a few people Jaebum hasn’t been acquainted with yet, but no doubt will  have to, considering they are all part of the same crew now. He sees Jinyoung sitting off towards the side facing away from all the commotion. Silently cursing his luck, Jaebum turns and doesn’t pay anymore attention to him as the captain steps on the deck.

It’s different seeing JYP in his yellow captain’s uniform rather than his admiral’s, but he looks official and ready to kick ass regardless.

“You ready for this kid?” Captain Park asks him aloud as he sits down in his chair set right in the middle of the bridge, overlooking his crew.

Jaebum doesn’t even hesitate. “Of course, Captain.”

“Good, then let’s see what you can do,” he taps a blue button on his armrest, connecting to the PA system that reaches to every inch of the ship. “Attention officers, this is Captain Park. We will begin our take-off in ten minutes. I suggest you get to your positions and strap in, unless you plan on retiring early. The course is set. Next destination is deep space. Hope you learn a few things here. Over and out.”

Stardate 2250.9

It’s just been over a week that they’ve been in deep space, and already things are looking well for the crew of the USS Got7. They don’t have a particular destination en route, but wander aimlessly around the stretches of space waiting to discover something new or help someone in need.

Jaebum’s never held a position like first officer in his life, and so far, he’s found the practice to be rewarding, but draining. He has to keep eye out over basically every person on the ship, including the captain. He has to report anything found from all departments to JYP, and for everything the captain says, he has to be the one making sure everyone follows along with it, which makes it hard when you have kids like Yugyeom and Bambam who think it’s cool to run around the engine room seeing how many decompression chambers they can turn off before anyone notices.

They are both officers, Jaebum has to remind them more often than not, and their first priority should be the care of the ship. Alone, they work like a dream. Yugyeom has become the only person JYP relies on to read the maps and cruise the ship safely through the sky. While Bambam, a skinny boy from Thailand who made it into the program even more recently than Jaebum, knows everything about the ship’s engines and warp core from shadowing engineers of ships from his hometown ever since he was a little boy. But once they are together, they become like bulls in a china shop. Jaebum keeps the boys’ rowdiness to himself for now even if it goes against the job requirements, not wanting the captain to relieve either of them from their positions.

He doesn’t get to see Mark as often as he’d like, the doctor stuck in the hospital wing and him either rooted to the deck or running the errands for the captain.

He sees Commander Park way more than he had before, a figure of complete indifference everytime he steps onto the bridge. He never fails to give Jaebum a critique of his work at every opportunity. Jaebum has just learned to tune him out at this point.

But, being on the bridge for large amounts of time isn’t all a bad thing, as he’s become more acquainted with their communications officer Choi Youngjae, who he learns is fluent in over three thousand languages from countries and planets from all stretches of space and time. He’s all smiles and has a laugh that could cure cancer; but is never off task, always searching the airwaves for the presence of other figures and communications. Too often when the captain is away from his post, he and Youngjae will hang around together, Jaebum trying to guess which language and dialect Youngjae is speaking next. It’s all good fun until Jinyoung has to ruin it with his incessant need to control his surroundings. He acts more like first officer than Jaebum does, and it’s starting to piss him off.

He means to confront him about it the next time he sees him, but a beep from his comm distracts him until he can answer it.

“Yeah what’s up?”

“Uh sir,” it’s Youngjae, he can hear the unsettlement in his voice. “You might want to get down here, something weird is coming through the communicators.”

“Alright, Be there in two,” he doesn’t have time to ponder over what Youngjae is calling him about before the glass door slides open and he gets his black boots over the threshold. He rushes to Youngjae’s station, where a few officers and Jinyoung are hunched over the computer. “What is it officer?”

The communications officer doesn’t say anything, pressing the screen below him. It’s not a voice that comes through, like Jaebum had been expecting. Instead, it’s more of a high-pitched tone that bleeds through the speakers, but it’s not loud enough for him to have to cover his ears. He nods and Youngjae mutes the sound, looking up at Jaebum.

“What do you think it is Commander?”

“I can’t say,” he doesn’t really know what it is. It’s not a human voice that’s for sure. But it doesn’t sound bad. If anything, there might just be a problem with their main comm device. “I’ll call down to Commander Hwang and see if there’s anything wrong with the system. I doubt it’s anything to worry about.”

“Okay, thank you Commander.”

He’s about to pull out his comm, ignoring the looks he’s getting from the rest of the crew, when another frantic voice startles him.

“Wait Jaebum, I’m getting weird readings from the scanner,” calls from Jackson, toying with the machine he sits at. “It says there’s another ship coming in on our scope, but I’m seeing nothing on our radars.”

“What? How could there be nothi-”

Jaebum doesn’t even have a chance to get the tail end of his word out before a loud screech is emitted from somewhere outside of the ship. He vaguely registers in one second looking to Jinyoung standing next to him, and in the next, the ship is being slammed into at full force, and Jaebum’s back lands flat on the railing nestled in front of him. All he has time to understand are the sounds of shouting from the crew and the sickening crack that resonates through his spine, and then a hefty Park Jinyoung is landing on top of him at their forty-five degree angle. Thankfully for Jinyoung’s quick reflexes, he’s able to grab the railing behind Jaebum, almost boxing him in before their heads have a chance to collide.

If Jinyoung was this close to him in any other circumstance, he would have knocked him in the jaw, but because this looks to be an apparent attack, Jaebum looks to the other commander with confusion in his eyes.

“We’re being fired at Commander,” Jinyoung yells even though their faces are so close together.

Three more shots sling through the ship, fortunately none of them hitting the bridge. They are not ready for this. “WHY ARE WE BEING FIRED AT?”

When the Got7 steadies, Jaebum shoves Jinyoung off of him and they both climb to the front, until another shot rips their feet right from underneath them. They go tumbling in a mess of limbs, while the rest of the crew scatter around their stations trying to regain their places amidst the gunfire.

“WE’RE UNDER ATTACK,” Jaebum cries as he’s able to recover his footing, rushing to the security computer before they take another hit. Jackson’s clamoring to his seat in obvious pain, but ignores it to meet Jaebum halfway. “GET US OUT OF HERE JACKSON.”

“Shit I can’t!” He gasps, hand retracting from the gear shift. “They’re jamming our signals.”

“THEN PUT THE SHIELDS UP AND LOCK ON TARGET.”

The ship rings out, a buzz full of beeps and noises indicating emergency along with the continuous flash of red lights. If this isn’t the best way to start their morning off.

There’s a ship in the distance closing in, what looks to be an older model. But they don’t have time to analyze it as it begins to form an attack run. Jackson boots up the shields to one hundred percent, and turns every missile to face their opponent. “All phases locked on target sir.”

One.

Two.

Three.

“FIRE.”

With every ounce of power the Got7 has, she releases hundreds upon hundreds of shots aimed at the enemy ship. The phasers ring out, and explode on the ship in less than a couple seconds. Pieces of the ship break off, and a blazing fire ignites in the lower flank. Within minutes the vessel loses control and descends into a downward spiral. Everyone is able to breathe, for now.

“I’ve got the signal back!” Jackson proclaims.

“GET US AS FAR AWAY FROM HERE AS POSSIBLE.”

And just like that, Jackson ignites the turbines and punches them into hyperspace.With bruises and whiplash from a rather nasty attack, the bridge crew stumble back to their seats, a few groans along the way. There’s a sharp pain in Jaebum’s lower back and a cut on his right hand from the impact, but he’s seen worse. He’d never articulate that anything like this would ever happen, let alone a week into their five-year mission, and seemingly without a cause. He never thought he’d be the one to handle it either and, oh fuck, he isn’t.

“Where’s the Captain?” Jaebum remembers all too late, as he’d already given out orders he probably should not have.

“He was with Bambam to inspect the warp core just before you got here,” Youngjae answers, rubbing at the back of his neck and wincing.

Pulling out his comm, Jaebum dials down to Bambam, and utters a “Where’s the Captain?” before he can even get a word out.

“He’s with me,” Bambam heaves, audibly worn out. “He got injured pretty bad. Commander Hwang and I are taking him to Doctor Kim.”

Great, this is exactly what they needed, to be attacked and nearly lose the ship’s captain. Jaebum was never taught the protocol for this.

“I’ll be right there.”

He tosses the comm back into his pocket and makes for the elevator on the other side of the room, stepping in only to watch another body rush inside.

“Jinyoung, what are you doing?”

The Vulcan, a noticeable cut above his right eyebrow, presses the button for the medical bay. “It’s my job as third in command to assist both you and the captain of this ship.”

On the other side of the small lift, Jaebum wonders if it’s Jinyoung’s life goal to irritate him.

“As third in command, don’t you think you’d best be serving on the bridge while both me and the captain are indisposed?”

“Not at all Commander, the crew is competent enough to carry on in our absence. I believe my assistance would be better served with the captain if he is injured,” the small elevator opens from behind Jinyoung, Jaebum not sparing him another glance as he brushes past and jogs down to where the captain should be.

Light fixtures flicker on and off through the hallway, a result of the damage that has been inflicted. Other crew members bustle about trying to piece together what happened to make sure the ship is still in working condition.

With Jinyoung fast on his trail, they enter the medical bay to find it in complete disarray: gauze and bandages litter the floor, a few patient tables have toppled over, and there’s a surplus of crew members waiting to be helped by not enough doctors.

They find JYP on his back behind a white curtain in the private section that is designated specifically for the captain. Mark and a nurse are tending to him, sleeves rolled up and towels pressing against the open wound on his lower abdomen.

“Where’s Dr. Kim?” Is the first question that comes out of Jaebum’s mouth.

Mark, who remains oddly calm even though he’s up to his forearm in the captain’s blood, applies more pressure to the body beneath him. “Dr. Kim is dead. He got slammed into the medicine cabinet and broke his jaw.” The captain groans beneath him once, eyes squinting shut from the pain circling down his lower body. “Now I’m the only senior medical physician here and all I have are nurses and interns.”

There’s a sour stench of raw meat that wafts through the air, crashing into Jaebum hard as nausea engulfs his entire being. He has to step away for a beat covering his mouth, but doesn’t miss when Jinyoung asks, “What happened to him, will he be okay?”

“He got impaled by one of the water pipes,” comes from a petite yet recognizable voice from behind the curtain. They turn to see Bambam sitting up straight in his chair while a Romulan nurse wraps a bandage around his wrist.

“Shit Bam are you okay?” Jaebum moves to his side immediately taking his appearance in. Other than the bandaged wrist and shock coursing through his veins he seemed to be in one piece.

“I’m fine, just worry about Captain Park,” he motions Jaebum away from him, speaking to the rest now watching him idly. “The first hit had dislodged some of the pipes, and by the second he had fallen back onto one that broke. It went straight through his back.”

Jaebum ruffles his light brown hair, “Good job getting him here, Bam,” and proceeds to take a deep clean breath before rejoining the rest behind the curtain again, looking to Mark. “Okay, what’s the game plan, what do we need to do?”

“That’s all up to you Jaebum,” the doctor sighs, glancing back down to the captain, who has already lost consciousness. “You’re acting captain while Park is out. I can only do so much for him here, we lost a lot of supplies. If we don’t get to a real hospital soon, he’s going to bleed out.”

_Shit._ It finally hits him just what this means. There’s a heavy weight on his chest and he thinks he might go into cardiac arrest. Jaebum doesn’t know if he’s ready for this responsibility yet. He definitely didn’t think it was going to come this early in the game.  They’ve barely been out a week, and now he has to take control and be acting captain in the face of JYP’s sudden life-threatening injury?

No, he can do this. He’s been JYP’s go-to man for the past week and a half and shadowed him even before then. He can run the ship.

“Have we tried beaming him out of here?”

“Yeah we tried that,” Mark replies, motioning for the nurse helping him to hand over the surgical clamps. He shoves them inside of the captain’s comatose body, clamping onto where the main source of the bleeding is coming from. “The transport services were damaged during the attack.”

Jaebum thinks for a moment. Mark can only hold off the bleeding for a little while longer, and they need to get him to a hospital immediately. But if he remembers correctly from reading over Yugyeom’s shoulder, they aren’t anywhere close to a planet; the nearest one is Earth, but even then it would take hours to get there in hyperspeed. The captain might not have that much time.

Mark is working diligently with the other nurse to keep JYP’s body stable for now, and Jaebum is just about to call down to the bridge when someone beats him to the punch.

“Officer Wang,” Jinyoung calls through the communicator on the wall. “Set in coordinates for Starfleet and make sure all engines are boosted.”

“All clear Commander.”

And just like that, with his messy hair and clothes disheveled, Jinyoung does what he does best, butting in where he has no right. The vulcan generally hasn’t gotten on his nerves that much these past nine days, but now, Jaebum’s had it. This is _his_ job. He was given this position by the captain, and Jinyoung was not about to snatch it out from under him. Jaebum has to put his foot down and assert his authority.

“Hey!” He points at Jinyoung, who startles and steps away from the comm with a look of perplexity. “I did not give you any orders to do that! I’m the acting captain now, not you.”

“You were wasting time that could have been spent saving Admiral Park’s life,” he sighs, crossing his arms like he has nothing better to do than make Jaebum look incompetent.

But Jaebum’s had enough. He’s tired of Park Jinyoung disrespecting him. Crossing his arms, he mirrors Jinyoung’s stance and puffs his chest up, hoping it will make him look more menacing. “That’s not your place to do so, Pointy.”

“Pointy? Is that a derogatory reference to my-”

“JESUS CHRIST,” Jaebum belts, eyes furious. “Is that really the only thing you got out of that? Let me say it for you in a way you can understand: I. Am. The. Captain.”

Jinyoung is silent for a moment, the only audible sounds coming from Mark working and cursing under his breath. Bambam’s eyes are on them awaiting, as well as every other crew member in the bay.

“I well understand what you mean, Jaebum,” Jinyoung finally responds, mouth pulling up into a devious smirk, the one that has Jaebum wanting to make a mad dash for the door. “It’s just... there hasn’t been a good track record with Im’s as captains, has there?”

Jaebum sees red.

“Excuse me?”

He was finally going to kill Park Jinyoung.

“I do believe I spoke clearly,” drips heinously from the commander’s mouth. Anyone who says Park Jinyoung can’t be a truly despicable person deserves to go straight to hell, along with Jinyoung, the devil himself reincarnated.

“You know what Jinyoung,” Jaebum spits, the perfect comeback on the tip of his tongue. There’s a hand gripping his arm, Bambam knowingly trying to make him back down. He’ll probably get his nose broken, but no more mister nice guy when it comes to Park Jinyoung. Their eyes lock as he closes in to where their noses are almost touching, and Jaebum doesn’t hold back the venom when he sneers, “At least at the end of the day, there’s always a planet for me to-”

“ENOUGH!”

All heads snap to Mark, hands deep in JYP’s abdomen working tiringly the entire spat to keep his patient alive. “BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP,” Mark continues to bellow until all attention is focused on him, hands stilling. But he’s only looking at the two bickering commanders causing problems. “I AM ELBOW-DEEP IN THIS MAN’S GUTS TRYING TO SAVE HIS LIFE, AND YOU TWO ARE ARGUING ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES AND NONSENSE. I SHOULD KICK BOTH OF YOUR ASSES FOR ARGUING LIKE CHILDREN IN FRONT OF YOUR CREW.”

Mark renders the immediate crew speechless. Jaebum’s never heard his friend angered like this before, not even the one time they dyed his hair pink while he was sleeping.

No one says or does anything, and Mark continues with a voice growing raspy from all the straining of his throat. “STOP YOUR DAMN FIGHTING FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHIP, AND FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR ASSES, WHICH I WILL KICK INTO THE NEXT MILLENNIA. IF HE DIES ON ME, IT WILL BE ON YOU,” the doctor finally takes a breath and lets it out slowly; his hands still haven’t moved. “Get us home, now.”

 

They manage record time back to Starfleet headquarters, thanks to the combined minds of Jackson and Bambam setting the course and pumping the engines with force almost reaching dangerous levels.

After Mark had basically roasted Jaebum and Jinyoung, the pair spent the entire trip avoiding each other on opposite wings of the ship. They wouldn’t admit to each other that they had been sulking the entire time, in their respective ways. Mark made Jaebum realize he was being an absolute piece of shit, stooping to low levels to offend his now first officer. On the other side, Jinyoung blinked back any sign of annoyance or regret, tending to any member of the crew that requested help.

The good news is that whatever Mark did basically saved JYP’s life for now, pulling him out of immediate danger. He lost a lot of blood and supplies were limited, but Mark’s excellent skills shined through and earned him an overdue recognition from the board of Starfleet, who have bumped him up to Chief Medical Officer aboard the Got7.

Unfortunately for Starfleet but fortunate for Jaebum, there are no other experienced captains or admirals that are available to captain the Got7. There are still missions that they are scheduled to complete, and the company can’t afford to displace hundreds of officers and commanders. Which means that Jaebum will keep his title as captain until JYP is fully recovered and Jinyoung will now be his first officer, the position he had originally fought for.

The ship, which they had presumed to be badly damaged, had only faced minor cuts and bruises related to one of the turbines and the transport services. She needed a good paint job now too, but that’s something they can worry about another time. They’ll depart again tomorrow, and hopefully this time nothing will stand in their way.

Since Jaebum is the captain now, he’s required to log and report the goings on of the ship, which includes the attack they faced just hours prior. An official report is also made and cataloged in Starfleet’s database even though the enemy ship had lost all power and would have surely disintegrated by now. There is still no word as to the cause of the attack or who it was carried out by, but the other admirals tell him not to worry about it. Still, it eats at Jaebum because why would anyone want to attack a harmless ship, let alone one of their own?

But that’s a thing of the past, and Jaebum is looking to move past it. He has a ship to run now after all, and if him and Jinyoung are going to be working together, he’s going to get over this thing they have with each other even if it kills him in the process. He plans on confronting him alone early tomorrow before they are set for takeoff, so the crew isn’t subject to their discussion, or so they can kill each other without any witnesses. Whichever comes first.

It’s reaching the start of the night back in Marin County, and Jaebum is dragging Mark along with him to one of the bars for a night of relaxation to relieve them from the whirlwind day they’ve had. There’s no hard feelings between the two after Mark chewed his ear off, because Jaebum understands the immense pressure he was under at the time and knows he was being a huge dickhead.

Coincidentally, they arrive at the same bar Jaebum had nearly trashed just a year prior, and where JYP had barged into his life and challenged him to join Starfleet. Never did he think he’d end up here a year later, captain of a Starfleet ship.

They walk in together, dressed out of uniform. Jaebum with his hair pushed back and in all black to include his leather jacket, and Mark in a plaid button up and jeans. They take in the scent of alcohol and testosterone, Jaebum’s arm across Mark’s shoulders, and Mark’s around his waist like they own the place.

“Ayyy there he is!” Bellows Jackson in a tipsy slur, eyes shining past Jaebum to fall gazingly on Mark. “The man of the hour! Our boy Chief Medical Officer!” He sends a shot Mark’s way, tipping his glass so they clink together before downing his own, whiskey becoming numb to him with every shot he takes.

Mark hesitates holding the glass full to the brim, but Jackson has such an effect on him that he takes the shot in one go without a chaser. He shuts his eyes as the bitter alcohol slides down his throat, coughing and propping the glass on the counter. Jackson smiles with all of his teeth and grabs Mark’s hand, pulling him to his table filled with other officers of the Got7.

He goes willingly, only having eyes for Jackson like a love sick puppy. Jaebum on the other hand knows that being in the company of so many other people will drain him even more than today already has, and he wants Mark to have his moment.

“Just give me a beer,” he leans on the counter and tells the barkeep, who only squints at him. Jaebum recognizes the guy as the one who was working the night he got into the fight. “Relax cupcake, I’m not here to trash the place.”

The guy doesn’t seem too convinced, but hey that’s his problem. He rather roughly uncaps the bottle of a Miller Lite and slams it down in front of him, then not so much as gives him another glance.

The captain brings the moistened bottle to his lips and takes a few savory gulps of the distilled liquid, looking back and forth across the bar. His head stops short when he turns to the right and sees his new first officer perched on a barstool at the end of the counter by the door. Jinyoung looks almost good without his uniform on, in a black jacket like his own and skin tight pants. _Woah, where did those come from?_

He doesn’t know what possesses him to do it, maybe the adrenaline that’s slowly building in his body, but his feet drag him over to where Jinyoung’s head rests upon his hands as he seems to be contemplating the meaning of life. Or whatever vulcans do when they drink.

Jinyoung doesn’t spare him a glimpse as he sits down in the seat next to him, idly sipping his beer. It’s odd and quiet; there are so many things left unsaid between the two. If they want to become some form of a duo in charge in their crew, they have to work together to put the animosity behind them.

“I’ve never seen you drink before,” Jaebum starts, facing Jinyoung even though he continues to disregard him completely. “Can vulcans even get drunk?”

Jinyoung swirls the rest of his glass -a rum and coke- and guzzles the rest down without so much as a twitch. “A vulcan’s metabolism runs at a pace over a hundred times greater than that of a human’s, so it is difficult. I believe it would take about four hundred of these to get me fully inebriated.”

Jaebum nods, hey you learn something new everyday. “I’d love to see that, but I only have a twenty.” He chuckles and they continue to sit consuming their respective drinks for a few silent minutes until Jaebum decides to just go for it.

“Why do you hate me, Jinyoung?” And fuck, that’s not what was meant to come out at all. He meant to apologize for behaving so irrationally, not turn it around and make everything about himself. Why of all times did his brain decide to remain in dick-mode?

“I could ask you the same thing, _Captain_ ,” the words burns on exit.

Jaebum laughs and takes another drink. “Okay, you go first.”

It’s then that Jinyoung finally regards him, spinning in his chair until the tips of their knees brush against each other. It sends a spark of electricity through Jaebum’s legs, but he shakes the feeling off, attributing it to the alcohol. His face is drained of all expression, but there’s something in his eyes that tells Jaebum he’s putting on a facade. He guesses he usually is.

“I do not detest you Jaebum,” he begins, eyes searching his lap before finding his captain’s. “I just detest that someone like you can get everything with ease.”

Jinyoung’s actions from the past year would say otherwise, but Jaebum physically flinches to the admission. This doesn’t sound at all like Park Jinyoung. “What do you mean by someone like me?”

“What I mean to say is...  you are arrogant, show little respect to the people above you, and cause trouble where there need not be,” Jinyoung blinks, looks Jaebum up and down and sighs. “If you can manage, put yourself in my place. You escalate to the top commanding position and do everything asked of you. Then in comes this man who takes pleasure in violence and fails to follow the rules, and he is rewarded with something over you. Do not misunderstand, I do not believe I deserve the title of captain, but rather that you do not.”

Jinyoung’s confession tugs at his heartstrings without his permission. For once, he’s not some robotic half-vulcan human, but a person with real feelings. It’s refreshing, but unsettling at the same time. Jaebum doesn’t want to admit it to himself, but Jinyoung hit him with a lot of good points. From his perspective, Jaebum is just some punk that came in and took everything from him. There are a lot of things he shouldn’t have done, but the adrenaline junkie in him needs to be fed, a thing Jinyoung wouldn’t understand. But that doesn’t give him the right to treat Jaebum like he’s a second class citizen.

“I believe it is your turn.”

Jaebum downs the rest of his beer and sets it off to the side. This isn’t about to make them best friends, but it’s necessary for them to move forward. “Okay, that’s easy. You’re bossy, a kiss up, think you’re better than everyone around you because of your intelligence, act like humans are beneath you, and make it your life mission to always knock me down. Plus, you don’t know how to have fun.” He’s had this list going in his head for a while now.

“I see.”

Jinyoung makes no move to swat at him, so Jaebum takes it as a signal to keep going. Now that’s he’s gotten his mini rant out, it’s time for him and step up and be the leader he’s supposed to be.

“I’m sorry for what I said back there on the ship, about your planet,” it comes out easier than he thought it would, but the regret is still fresh in his mind. He’s never wanted to unsay something more in his life. It’s one thing to come for someone’s appearance or they way they act, but it’s another thing altogether to reiterate the fact that someone’s planet doesn’t exist anymore.

Because sometimes he forgets that Jinyoung is truly the only one of his kind left. Jaebum wonders what it’s like living with the knowledge that you have no planet, and you’re the last of your species. He can’t even imagine being the only human in existence, or what would happen if earth suddenly was gone.

It was only four years ago, when it happened. Jinyoung was eighteen at the time, newly of age and ready to explore other worlds. He had joined Starfleet and moved to earth, leaving behind his home planet Vulcan, to which their species is cleverly named after. He was the first, and only vulcan that had ever left the planet. Leaving was stigmatized, but it’s the sole reason why Jinyoung is alive today.

Only a few weeks after he left for earth, there were reports that a star nearby exploded, and when a star explodes, usually a black hole follows. What was supposed to be a week until the black hole reached the planet was actually only a few minutes, giving the vulcans no time to flee into refuge elsewhere. It’s something no one ever talks about, because it means that Jinyoung is apart of an endangered species. When he dies, all of Vulcan life will be extinct.

“I do not place blame on you for that Jaebum. If I had not provoked you, you would have had no cause to protect yourself,” Jinyoung speaks softly, noticeably antsy as he rubs the back of his hand. For once, Jaebum feels immense sorrow for him. The way he’s jiggling his leg, it’s likely that there’s something else on his mind he wants to add. “I will apologize for insulting your family as well, it was not my place and I only sad it in in a moment of spite.”

Jaebum’s mouth falls open in shock; he never would have guessed Jinyoung would have apologized , ego seemingly to big for the practice. He shuts his mouth and nods his head, glad that they’re finally getting somewhere. “Thanks.”

“We both have come to lose things that are dear to us, and it should not become a weight for us to throw at each other.”

He’s right. They gain nothing from using the deaths of their loved ones as ways to pick at each other, it only tears old wounds open and drives a furthering wedge between them. “Now that you are captain and I am your first officer, our main priority is the safety of the ship. That cannot be possible if we continue to bicker like younglings.”

“For the first time, I actually agree with you on something Jinyoung,” Jaebum laughs. Checking over the counter for the bartender, he signals for him to grab him another beer. He can feel the conversation dying down, now confident and somewhat content with putting everything out in the open..

Jinyoung steps down from the stool and offers Jaebum his hand. “I am not forcing a friendship upon us, I only propose that we perform our jobs admirably and extend respect to each other for the benefit of the crew.”

And that is possibly the nicest thing Jinyoung has ever said to him. Jaebum pauses to set down his beer and takes his outstretched hand graciously, noticing how his is slightly larger, allowing for Jinyoung’s to fit nicely when they give a hearty shake.

“Good. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, Commander.”

“And so shall I,” Jinyoung bids him adue with a slight nod, exiting the building with his hands behind his back.

Once Jinyoung is out of sight, Jaebum releases a breath he hadn’t realized he’d trapped in his lungs. Okay, this was… this was better. At least now he and Jinyoung can somewhat get along, and perhaps become a couple of good officers along the way.

He drinks his second beer quickly and doesn’t order anything else; he has to be on his best game tomorrow and he can’t do that if he’s nursing a hangover. He looks for Mark, hearing his laugh before he catches sight of the smaller man. He’s nestled close to Jackson, who has moved from praising Mark to playing darts. They cling to each other when they laugh, drunk on alcohol and each other. Jaebum hopes this is just the push they need to get over their speed bump.

Desperately needing a shower and a good night's rest, he tosses a twenty at the bartender and tells him to keep the change. He leaves Mark and Jackson to deal with each other, treading through the door with a skip in his step which attributes to the beer. Tomorrow is the start of something brand new, and he’s going to get it right this time. It’s the real start to the rest of his life.

 

_"Captain’s Log, Stardate 2250.10. This is Captain Im Jaebum of the USS Got7. Today we set out for our first destination. I have faith in every single one of you, and I hope you can come to accept me as your captain. Over and out.”_


	2. Ep. 1: Psi 2000

Stardate 2250.22

 

The USS Got7 silently drifts through the empty vastness of space, set a course towards her newest destination. At the start of last week she had come under fire from an unwarranted attack, still no cause as to why or trace of the offending vessel. So far she’s seen the collapse of a star and a couple of squabbling tribbles in the days that have passed. All aboard the ship have finally acclimated to the way things will be from now on.

Every time there’s a security malfunction, Yugyeom is there to patch it up with his extended knowledge of the ship’s system. Youngjae makes incredible feats in decoding any and every language they pick up on the scanner, pulling them out of a few would-be run ins with passing klingon ships. Bambam continues to shadow Commander Hwang throughout the engineering process, gaining more familiarity with the Got7 and developing the potential to be a great chief one day. Jackson sits at the helm longer than he needs to some days, paranoid that something like their first attack will happen again under his watch.

Mark remains in his sea of white gloves and sterilization most of the day, fitting into his position as chief easier than anyone thought he would. Sometimes he’s at the helm conversing with crew members he usually doesn’t get a chance to see. Other times he’s looking out for Jaebum, offering to help with his new position as captain. Technically, it's not his job -it’s Jinyoung’s. With Jinyoung now Jaebum’s first officer, they are able to interact more than they had previously. And since they decided to reconcile their differences, their interactions are much more amicable, but far from how Jaebum and Mark are or how Jinyoung and Jackson are. They get the work done and do it well, even if half of the crew were betting on the opposite. The work of first officer is hard and tiring, but Jinyoung enjoys it and can't see himself complaining.

Jaebum has taken to his position as leader of the ship with little to no difficulty, even if the first couple days were a complete disaster and nearly led to his dismissal. There were times his brain was on overdrive and he couldn’t figure out what to do, like when most of the crew got food poisoning from badly cooked salmon or when Officer Wonpil had nearly burned a hole through the wall after his experiment malfunctioned in the lab. Oddly enough it ended up being Jinyoung that aided him through it, minding the ways he went about it so he didn’t step over his boundaries. Jaebum was greatly appreciative, and over time learned to navigate the ship comfortably.

Their current destination is a planet called Psi 2000, located in the far reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy. The planet is as old as the earth itself, but differs in that it is a desert wasteland that holds no inhabitants. The only life forms to walk the planet itself are a few members Starfleet had commissioned out five years ago to study it. The crusted rock has started it’s final stage of life, and will be fragmenting off in pieces any time now. It’s part of the reason why the ship is there -to pick up the other officers and document the planet’s end.

They reach the planet right as day breaks, and Jaebum decides to send a landing party down of Jinyoung, Mark, and another ensign, Taeyoung to retrieve the crew stationed there. They’re beamed down in an instant without trouble, having been used to the practice already.

They materialize at the same time in front of what looks like an abandoned shack. Jinyoung leads the team with Mark and Taeyoung following close behind, carrying medical kits just in case there are any problems. They have to wear airtight suits and helmets as a safety precaution, which cling to them in an almost uncomfortable manner.

The lab the officers have been stationed at is rickety and old on the outside, mostly to deter anything from coming in. But as Jinyoung pushes inside, the other officers come to realize that the rooms are completely different, filled to the brim with the most advanced technology and weaponry. Tables line the lab decked out with beakers, test tubes, and scanners for operations, though the other members don’t know what operations exactly.

“Hello, this is Starfleet,” Jinyoung’s voice bounces off the walls in the small room, but is only met with dreaded silence. He tries again, raising his level a few decibels to reach to the other rooms as well. “This is Commander Park of the USS Got7 of Starfleet, is anyone here?”

Nothing.

The silence stretches on, Mark and Taeyoung look at each other and then to Jinyoung for the next course of action.

Taeyoung is the first to speak after what seems like hours, cautiously maneuvering around the room to investigate. “Maybe they are all out doing research?”

Jinyoung moves away from the officer, stepping through the doorway that leads into another room, completely deserted. “That would be highly illogical officer, as one person must be present to monitor the lab at all times.”

Something seems off about the entire situation, as if they are stuck in a bad horror movie and waiting for the murderer to pop out at any moment. That is until Jinyoung crosses into a hallway that leads him into a room on the far end of the complex, goosebumps arising just as he sees why the situation seems so wrong.

“Dr. Tuan, I believe your assistance will be necessary,” Jinyoung reaches for his communicator at the same time Mark and Taeyoung make their way into the room. Taeyoung audibly gasps and Mark winces when their eyes catch sight of the mess before them. Unlike the other rooms, the walls are covered in ice, dropping the conditions to below freezing. The ice stretch out in chunks from floor to ceiling, but not thick enough to completely hide the bodies that lie beneath it. Jinyoung brings the comm a few centimeters from his face. “Captain, I seem to have found the crew.”

It only takes a few seconds until Jaebum responds, but it’s enough time for Mark and Taeyoung to observe the bodies cast in ice and get their equipment ready. “Fantastic Mr. Park, we’ll beam you aboard at your command.”

Jinyoung stands at a good distance from the bodies, allowing the two officers before him to conduct their practices as he eyes the former Starfleet officers. “Yes Captain, I’ll let you know when we are ready.” The comm drops into his pocket as he comes to stand next to the doctor, who waves a hand-sized heart monitor over the bodies encased in ice.

When nothing comes through the monitor, Mark clicks his tongue and sets the device back into his bag. “No signs of life in any of them. We were too late.”

The possibilities of how the crew came to pass are unclear even though the clear culprit was hypothermia from the frozen conditions. But the question was, how did the ice even form, and how has it remained considering it doesn’t match the weather outside?

“Where did this ice come from?” Taeyoung asks, bringing his gloved hand to the block of ice before him. The texture is odd for that of ice, and it does not seem to melt when his hand remains.

“There’s no way of knowing, officer,” Jinyoung stands eye level with who appeared to be a female crew member, eyes shut and blond hair sticking out throughout the frozen rock. “But it is completely…fascinating.”

Mark snorts, giving Jinyoung a hard look of distaste. That was obviously the wrong thing to say. “These people are dead, Park. At least show some sympathy.”

As if a switch is flipped, Jinyoung remembers that he’s _not_ supposed to treat people like they are science experiments. “My apologies, Doctor.” Now with nothing left to do and no one to transport back, he looks towards the other officers who are still examining the ice in awe. “Shall I have the captain beam us back now?”

He doesn’t get a reply, instead Mark’s fingers bat him away as he eagerly shushes him. The doctor pulls out what looks to be some sort of drill and turns it on, the rev of it’s engine filling the noiseless gap of the frigid room. With the help of Taeyoung, Mark digs the blade into the ice, and in a few minutes a small piece no bigger than his hand falls to the ground. Taeyoung grabs the chunk of ice, ready to hand it off to Mark as he gets a container out. “I’m taking this in to study, maybe it can tell us why they died.”

Mark is ready for the ice to be placed into the glass container, but all of a sudden Taeyoung lets out a loud cry and drops the piece to the ground, swiftly followed by a “shit, fuck!”

Mark and Jinyoung look to where the officer now clutches his hand in pain, and upon further investigation notice that the ice had burned all the way through the man’s suit, scorching his hand in the process.

Jinyoung turns to Mark, a small smile playing on his lips. “Utterly fascinating.”

“Are you alright Taeyoung?” Mark asks worriedly as he inspects the hand of the officer, tinted red from the force of the burn. The boy nods and deeming it okay for now, Mark scoops the ice into the glass container and seals it with an air-tight lid.

“Are we ready?” Jinyoung asks and waits for the approval of the other two members before pulling his comm back out. “Bambam, beam us out.”

 

 

As soon as the landing party is beamed back aboard the ship, Jaebum is there in an instant to lend any assistance to the newcomers. That is until he is informed by Jinyoung that not only did they not retrieve the other members, but they had died before the ship even arrived at the planet.

Jinyoung, Mark, and Taeyoung are decontaminated quickly before being ushered off to the medical wing, where Mark insists that he wants to test them for any other pathogens from the planet that might have spread to them. His main concern is Taeyoung, who had accidentally come into contact with some of the ice that still remains frozen from the planet.

The men are cleaned up and blood samples are drawn, only for them to come back seconds later negative for contamination. Jinyoung and Mark are positively surprised that Taeyoung’s sample came back clean, who only thanks his lucky stars that there’s nothing too dangerous about the ice other than the fact that it’s burned a hole in his hand.

Taeyoung is allowed to report back to his post in the west wing of the ship, leaving Jaebum to simmer over everything that has happened with his crew members. Mark is removing the ice from it’s glass box with a pair of tongs and setting it down on the table when Jaebum decides to voice what’s on his mind.

“So… why hasn’t this thing melted yet?” He sits on a stool across from Mark, awaiting his answer. He goes to pick it up to get a better look, but a hand comes flying out to smack his away.

“Don’t touch it!” Mark halts his actions, giving him a look that says ‘are you kidding me?’. “Did you forget it burned straight through Taeyoung’s suit?”

No he didn’t forget, he just wanted to see if it was actually true is all. Curiosity killed the cat at the best of times anyway. “No fun. You’re turning into him.” He pouts, pointing at Jinyoung standing next to his chair. Jinyoung only regards him with a fake smile, causing laughter to bubble in his chest. But he wills himself to hold it down. That’s a very new thing to develop in their working relationship. While they still aren’t considered friends, they bicker less forcefully than they used to over trivial little things that don’t really matter, and mostly for the enjoyment of the crew. And if Jaebum gets a kick out of picking on Jinyoung or watching his reactions, well no one else really has to know.

“If you won’t be needing my help Doctor,” said vulcan begins, stepping away from the table. “I will return to the bridge. At least one of us needs to be doing our job.” He grins with his jab at Jaebum, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the two. It doesn’t stab Jaebum like it would have weeks ago, before they fell into this sort of frenemies circle. Instead it gives him an odd feeling of satisfaction, like he succeeded in making Jinyoung give into their little cat and mouse game.

“You guys enjoy that way too much,” Mark notes after Jinyoung has already vacated the wing. Jaebum doesn’t respond but watches curiously as Mark chisels off a piece of the ice and slides it under a microscope sitting at the table. “I don’t know exactly what this thing is… but it’s definitely not ice.”

Jaebum sits his elbows on the table and puts his head in his hands, massaging his temples as he tries to think. This thing takes on the appearance and temperature of ice, but can burn through clothes and probably human flesh as well. Oh and has the inability to melt. Yeah, Jaebum doesn’t have a clue.

He wants to stay a bit longer to help, but the grumble in his stomach reminds him that he hasn’t eaten in over twelve hours -perks of being the captain. “Alright, I guess I’ll leave you to it then. If you find anything, let me know.”

Mark waves him off with a gloved hand, not bothering to look up from where his eyes are glued to the microscope. Jaebum ignores the comment he wants to make at his friend for sending him off without another thought, picking himself up to find something to eat before his stomach decides to consume itself.

The dining room allocated for the crew is smaller than someone would expect for a ship that holds nearly two thousand members. It’s more like an office break room, with a small table in the center and a refrigerator off to the side. Still, it’s suffice enough for them, as people tend to typically eat at their stations or in their board rooms.

When Jaebum walks in, he’s met with a few members he’s not familiar with chatting idly off to the side, who give him a slight bow when he passes. He nods in reciprocation; he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to get used to that kind of attention.

Jackson and Bambam sit at the far end of the table, looking up at Taeyoung as he dramatically retells the story of how they discovered the dead bodies just moments ago. “And then there they were covered in this hunk of ice -except it wasn’t ice because it burned my hand- and they were dead,” Taeyoung flails his hand wildly in front of him to make his point, showing off where the discoloration has faded into a tinted pink. Bambam listens intently, while Jackson just looks at him like he’s heard better. “And then Dr. Tuan -it was so cool- he just picked the thing up like it was nothing.”

Jackson shifts slightly at the mention of Mark’s name, visibly uncomfortable. Jaebum catches it from where he stands against the counter unwrapping a cup of ramen, rolling his eyes as he fills it with water and pops it the microwave. Taeyoung is still talking animatedly behind him, but Jaebum tunes him out, thinking back to the conversation he and Mark had had just a couple of days ago after he noticed a new weird tension developing between him and Jackson.

_"YOU WHAT?!” Jaebum gasped loudly standing in the middle of Mark’s work station, earning a “shh!!” from his friend along with a hand over his mouth to stop anyone from overhearing. The older man pulled Jaebum away from any wandering ears to the patient area at the far end of the room, sliding the curtain closed to give them some form of privacy. He removed Mark’s hand from his mouth, still gaping in surprise. When he spoke, his voice only stayed above a whisper. “You slept with Jackson?! When?”_

_Mark looked like he’d been kicked in the stomach, arms crossing around his front. “The night before we shipped out again, when we went to that bar,” Mark looked like he was seconds away from throwing up, but Jaebum let him continue, wondering just why this was a bad thing. “We were really drunk and went back to mine and it just happened.”_

_A smiled flickered to Jaebum’s face as he looked down at his friend, a weight lifting off his chest now that something had finally happened between the two. It came much faster than he had expected though. “I don’t understand. Why are you both ignoring each other then? Was he really bad or…?”_

_"No, no!” Mark scream-whispered, checking behind the curtain to make sure nobody had walked by or stopped to listen. He turned back to Jaebum and sighed heavily. “No. It was probably the best sex I’ve ever had,” he smiled to himself and rubbed his arm, thinking about the memory before being reminded of what happened after. The smile dropped off his face and he went back to frowning. “He… we said things to each other. I asked him if this was just another hookup for him and he said no. He promised he would be there when I woke up, but then in the morning he was gone. No note or anything. It was obviously just a drunken mistake for him.”_

_Jaebum’s heart hurt in his chest, regretting the smile he’d given his friend when it wasn’t warranted. But that wouldn’t make sense, Jackson looked at Mark like he was the whole world, there’s no way he’d just bail on him like that. “Did you try talking to him?”_

_Mark nodded his head. “Yeah, like right after it happened. I found him on the ship and he completely ignored me.” Jaebum knew what that was like, having often been the one who was doing the leaving after some girl or guy he was hooking up with had thought they were something more. He brought a hand to Mark’s shoulder, rubbing the muscle in hopes of comforting his friend. “It’s fine, I’m fine now. I have a job to do anyway, I don’t have time to worry about stupid helmsmen who get off on a false bravado.”_

Jaebum snaps out of the memory when he hears a booming voice fill the small room, spinning around to see Taeyoung jump onto the table, startling the rest of the crew. Thin beads of perspiration cling to his forehead, a few dripping down past his flushed cheeks to sit at the base of his chin. His pupils are now blown, and his chest heaves as if he’s trying to suck every breath out of the room.

“Taeyoung, you don’t look too good,” Jaebum notes, hoping the boy will calm down and remove himself from the tabletop before he gets hurt. He probably just got a little too worked up over beaming down to the planet: Jaebum gets that sometimes and usually a long nap helps take care of it. “I think you should go rest in your quarters for a little bit.”

“I feel perfectly fine, Captain,” Taeyoung protests defensively, but the change in tone and the rapid breathing informs everyone that something is wrong. He tries to pick back up where he left off, closing his eyes and smacking himself in the head a few times when he loses focus. “YOU MADE ME FORGET” he shrieks at the captain, causing Jackson, Bambam, and the other two officers in the room to take two steps back.

Taeyoung, now completely flushed in the face and eyes darting all over the place, doesn’t fine at all. He turns to Jaebum and nearly walks off the table, having to hold onto the side for support once his feet hit the floor. Bambam and another crew member react in an instant to steady him, but Taeyoung brandishes a butter knife as a defense in their direction before they can get to him. The room goes silent when he maneuvers the knife to face Jaebum, vicious look in his eyes that means he’s out for blood, completely switched from his persona of two minutes ago. This is not the young ensign he had assigned to the case previously, this is someone else entirely.

Now, truthfully Jaebum doesn’t feel threatened and knows there isn’t much damage to be done with a household butter knife, but he isn't going to be the one that provokes someone having a clear manic episode. He stands his ground with his hands raised to his head to signal he’s not going to fight back, one second from calling Mark down here to make sure he didn’t miss anything when checking him out. “Taeyoung, put the knife down, there’s no need to get violent.”

There’s a tremor in Taeyoung’s hands as he holds the utensil inches away from Jaebum’s face. No one moves as he speaks, words laced with anger and fear. “Yes there is, Captain. You’re out to get me, that’s why you sent me down to that planet.”

The ensign’s words aren't making sense, but he can't worry about them now. Jaebum, still very aware of the metal knife in front of his face, glances behind Taeyoung and makes eye contact with Jackson, a plan of action telepathically passed between the two. Using his stealth agility, Jackson silently steps forward, and waits for the right moment to strike.

“No one is out to get you, officer,” Jaebum responds calmly, one last resort in hopes that Taeyoung will come to his senses and drop the weapon.

“YOU’RE LYING. YOU SENT ME DOWN THERE TO DIE.” Quicker than the blink of an eye Taeyoung retracts his arm backwards, knife poised ready to slice into Jaebum’s face. Jackson takes this as the opportunity he’d been waiting for, latching onto Taeyoung’s wrist and yanking his arm backwards. The officer cries out in pain and drops the knife behind his back, to which Jackson kicks it out of the way lest he decide to take a chance with his other hand.

Taeyoung, now high on adrenaline and frustration, reaches behind to grab at Jackson, who only catches the flailing hand and holds his arms together in a locked position. Jaebum darts out of the way just in time for Jackson to kick Taeyoung’s legs out from under him, sending him on his knees. Struggling with a force threatening to knock Jackson over, Taeyoung lets a loud cry rip through his throat, hard and long enough to cause him to turn a deeper shade of red.

“I’ve had enough,” Jackson grunts and grabs the back of Taeyoung’s head. He thrusts his cranium onto the counter before them, not hard enough to cause any brain damage but with just the right amount of force to knock him out. Taeyoung topples limply to the ground, everyone sighing a breath of relief that they are now able to move freely.

Jackson wipes his forehead at the same time Jaebum asks, “Are you okay?” He nods, stepping over Taeyoung’s body. “Good, take him back to his room, I’m putting him under house arrest until we figure out what’s wrong with him. Make sure there’s a guard on standby until I deem him safe to leave.”

Jackson nods, “You got it Captain,” and crouches down to the floor. He easily tosses the boy over his shoulder, leaving without so much as a complaint.

The other officers look to Jaebum, asking if he’s alright before he informs them that he is and that they should return to their posts.

 _Just another day on the USS Got7,_ he thinks. Now he can add ‘almost being stabbed with a butter knife’ to his next captain's log. But before any of that, he has to find Mark and inform him that Taeyoung might have contracted something from the planet.

Jaebum speedwalks to the medical wing, sighing in relief when he finds Mark talking excitedly to Jinyoung about what seems to be the rock he’s been experimenting on. It makes sense that only Jinyoung, the chief science officer, would willingly listen to the chemical composition of a rock from a dying planet.

“And it’s not a crystal. I don’t think it’s even a rock. I think it’s a-” Mark startles when the doors open to reveal a dazed Jaebum, both pairs of eyes landing on his exhausted form. “Oh, Jaebum! Come here, I think I figured out what this substance is.”

“That’s great Mark but I-”

“I know you don’t care,” the doctor interrupts, reaching behind with white gloves where he leans on the counter to show Jaebum the container that holds the rock. There’s something fuzzy now inside the translucent material, but he had no idea what. “But look at this! It ate the tribble I was experimenting with. I was telling Jinyoung that I don’t think it’s a rock at all, but some sort of parasite that has the ability to take on a solid form.” Jaebum has no idea what that means but it doesn't sound good. He tries to get his word in about Taeyoung, but Mark continues without sparing him a glance. “I’d have to look more into it, but it could be a prehistoric organism that literally consumes its prey and encases it inside a shell, before slowly draining it of it’s nutrients. It would explain why we found the officers in the condition similar to the tribble’s.”

Jaebum knows nothing about any of this stuff, but can comprehend what Mark is explaining to him. He then remembers that Taeyoung had actually touched the substance with his bears hands, and pales at the thought of the parasite entering his body through contact.

Jinyoung, who had been watching him this whole time, notices his change in demeanor. “Something has happened with Taeyoung, hasn’t there?”

It’s amazing that Jinyoung is able to read him so clearly, and Jaebum’s thankful if not a little shocked that he was able to deduce that without a word from him. “You’re very perceptive Jinyoung. But how could you tell?”

“Judging by your frantic entrance and the fact that Taeyoung was the only person to come into contact with the parasite, it was the only logical deduction, Captain.” And with that, Jinyoung proves why he’s so good at his job.

Blinking, Jaebum raises his eyebrows, impressed. “Your brain is a scary place, Commander.” But they have time to talk about brains and deductions skills when his life hasn’t been threatened. “Taeyoung started having a manic episode. The only thing I can relate it to is being on acid,” Jinyoung gives him a look.  “Not that I’ve done acid. Which I definitely haven’t. Anyways that’s not important. What is important is that Taeyoung flipped his shit and came at me with a knife. Luckily Jackson was there and knocked him out before he could take a swing.”

“Fuck, is Jackson okay?” Is the only thing Mark asks, proving that the doctor is not completely over his situation with Jackson yet.

Jaebum would hit him if there wasn’t a could-be emergency situation on their hands. “Yah! What about me? Your friend who could have died?” He means for his words to come out jokingly, but the way Mark is pouting now tells him that it was way harsher than he intended. Mark opens his mouth to protest, but before he can get a word in Jinyoung is there silencing the room with the flick of his wrist.

“Where is Officer Taeyoung now?”

Thank god Jinyoung has his mind in the right place at all times. “He’s in his room being guarded by security. Whatever’s in that thing did something to him.” Jaebum informs, glancing up to Mark with hopeful eyes. “Is there any kind of antidote, or medicine you can give him?”

Mark shakes his head, and Jaebum pinches the bridge of his nose. “I still don’t even know what this thing is Jaebum. I’d have to determine what it is first before I’m able to do anything else.”

Sighing at Mark’s words, Jaebum dives into his mind to try and find anything that Starfleet might have taught him for this kind of situation while he figures out what the next course of action is. Luckily, this thing doesn’t seem to be too serious, and he’s hoping it will just pass through Taeyoung like a normal fever would. He might be overreacting, but as the captain it worries him when even one person only so much as sneezes.

He comes to a decision, fearing that them standing around conversing will only waste time.  “I’ll keep an eye on Taeyoung, you both try and figure out-” there’s a static commotion that halts the rest of Jaebum’s sentence, coming from the comm on the far end of the room.

“CAPTAIN,” the three men all turn in unison when Youngjae’s frantic voice drifts through the speaker. “Um sir, there’s a situation on the bridge you need to get-”

“HAZZAH! TELL ME WHERE THE FAIR MATRON IS OR YE SHALL PERISH!” A second voice rings through the comm, effectively cutting Youngjae off. The 14th century lingo comes as a surprise since no one on the ship (that Jaebum knows of) uses those words, but the voice is strained and fast, an eerily familiar occurrence. It almost sounded like….

“Jackson, there’s no matron here what?! Please put the sword down!” Youngjae yells before the comm clicks and shuts off.

There’s nothing but confusion when he looks briefly to Mark and Jinyoung, who share the same faces at complete loss. It only takes a few wordless seconds for them to process what just happened and then Mark is the first one moving, light on his feet to get out the door as fast as possible. All Jaebum had to hear was “sword” to get him to check the phaser on his side and sprint after Mark, Jinyoung following close behind.

Great. This is just what he needs, another thing to disrupt the ship. Now he has to worry about Taeyoung and Jackson, who out of nowhere starts acting out of the ordinary. Jaebum doesn’t even think to connect the two until they’re stepping onto the bridge and Jackson’s sweaty -and shirtless- figure comes into view from where he’s standing on top of Jaebum’s chair. Looking around, Youngjae cowers in his seat by the doors, Yugyeom stands behind his station with his arms crossed unimpressed, and the other officers remain confused like one big joke is being played on them.

 The three men stop in front of the doors, eyes matching the rest of the crew on deck to zoom in on the lieutenant’s toned body as he brandishes a three foot sabre in their direction. Jaebum knew Jackson was a skilled fencer before he joined Starfleet, but he had no idea that he still practiced, or even brought his weapons on board. His eyes are beady and he’s sporting a pink flush from head to toe, chest heaving faster than the normal rate. It seemed that somehow, whatever Taeyoung has has passed to Jackson. It might be airborne, which means that anyone could be susceptible now.

“No one touch him,” Mark says with his hands outstretched on either side of him.

Jackson’s eyes widen impossibly when he sets his sights on Mark. He quickly jumps down from the chair with his sabre maintaining it’s position pointed forward. “THE FAIR MATRON.”

He steps forward more and Jaebum, worried for Mark’s safety, latches onto his yellow sleeve and pulls the doctor behind him. “Jackson…” He warns, hoping for his sake that there’s a possibility that the sword is fake. Though the way the light glints off the edge of the object he guesses that’s a slim chance.

Jackson tilts his head in alarm, spinning on his heels to face Jaebum in awe. He gulps.

He can feel the rest of the crew’s eyes on the trio including Jackson’s, whose blown pupils are sending daggers at him which match the blade in his hand. “YOU SEEK TO PROCURE THE YOUNG MATRON FROM ME?” He gives a hearty chuckle and before Jaebum can react, Jackson’s quick reflexes incapacitate him in the blink of an eye. With a swift kick to the chest, Jaebum lands roughly on the ground and feels the wind get knocked out of him. He struggles to breathe for a moment until a female officer lifts his chest of from the floor. When he looks back up, Jackson pounces on Mark, harshly dragging the other man to his chest with a hand around his waist. The tips of Mark’s ears go pink in embarrassment. Jackson’s other hand still grips the sabre, pointed downwards in Jaebum’s face. Ok, this whole almost being killed thing is getting a little old.

The female officer backs off as Jaebum positions himself to lean back on his elbows. With complete seriousness his eyes never waver from Jackson as he speaks. “You know, I’m getting real tired of people shoving pointy objects in my face.”

There’s an awkward silence that follows, Jackson unnerving until Mark speaks. His hands that are luckily still gloved come up to push at his unclothed chest.

“Jackson.”

“YES MY GOOD SIR?” Jackson focuses all attention on Mark, eyes bright and head in a cloud of affection that he only seems to have for the doctor. “ASK AND THOU SHALT RECEIVE.”

“Please release me,” he pleads, switching his worry from before to complete seriousness.

Jackson’s eyes never leave his, but the sabre pointed at Jaebum comes to rest at his side as he regards his ‘fair matron’. “MARK I CANNOT. IT’S MY DUTY TO PROTECT THE FAIR-”

“Jackson I’m not a fair ma-”

“THEY SHALL NOT HAVE YOU BECAUSE I-”

And faster than anyone can process, a hand reaches out and grabs the junction between Jackson’s neck and shoulder. His eyes roll back and he topples to the floor, sabre clanging against the wood as it goes with him. All heads turn to Jinyoung, who had appeared behind Jackson without so much as a sound.

“What did you do to him?” Mark asks at the same time Jaebum gets to his feet, the question hot on his tongue too.

Jinyoung merely crosses his arms, looking unimpressed. “That was taking far too long. I only used a vulcan nerve pinch on him. He should come to in a couple hours.”

“What the hell is a ‘vulcan nerve pinch’?” Jaebum beats Mark to the question he knows he’s wondering as well.

Rolling his eyes, Jinyoung doesn’t look to pleased to have to explain himself, almost like he’s expecting all of them to understand what he’s talking about. “There are a bundle of nerves in every human right in this area,” he motions to the bottom of his neck. “Vulcans are able to access them in a way that renders humans unconscious. Useful in many situations, such as this.” Jinyoung says it so nonchalantly, leaving Jaebum to wonder what other times Jinyoung has had to use it.

“Remind me to never piss you off.” Mark directs at Jinyoung, but eyes never leave Jackson’s limp form as he pulls out his body scanner and hovers it above his head. Then like a flash, he remembers something and head snaps towards Jinyoung. “Shit, you weren’t supposed to touch him.” The scanner now waves over Jinyoung’s face, Mark giving no care for personal space.

“I do not understand, Doctor.”

Mark seems suffice with his scan, dropping the device into his pocket before regarding the rest of the crew. “Whatever pathogen is causing them to act like this, Jackson must have contracted it from Taeyoung. Taeyoung got it from the matter we picked up from the planet, and I realized that it can only be passed through touch. Taeyoung got it from holding the matter, and Jackson got it from when he knocked Taeyoung out, from direct contact I assume?”

Jaebum nods, remembering how he had held the back of Taeyoung’s neck when he slammed his head into the cabinet.

“My skin did not touch his directly but…” He turns to Jinyoung, who visibly pieces everything together in his mind.

Everyone knows what this must mean now, and even with the threat of being infected, Jinyoung remains calm, though there is a tiny twitch in his hand that only Jaebum seems to have noticed. “Not to worry Doctor, my anatomy varies greatly from a human’s. I doubt that I will be affected.”

Mark doesn’t look too reassured. “I hope for your sake you’re right.” He moves to Jaebum, voice falling an octave lower, likely he doesn’t want the rest of the crew to hear. “We have to get to Taeyoung. If I’m right, he’s going to end up like that tribble and the crew we found on that planet.”

It’s all a lot to process, but Jaebum knows as the captain he has to step up and prevent pandemonium from spreading throughout his ship.

He gives Mark a nod and finds Yugyeom. “Everyone get back to your stations. Gyeom, you and Youngjae keep an eye on Jackson. Set phasers to stun. No. One. Touch. Him.”

“Yes, Captain!” Youngjae and Yugyeom let out at the same time, pulling out their blasters as they come to stand by Jackson.

Jaebum looks to Jinyoung and Mark. “You two, let’s go.”

 

By the time they reach Taeyoung’s room, Jaebum has noticed one of two things. One: if this infection finds a way to spread throughout the ship they are completely and utterly fucked. And two: Jinyoung is abnormally quiet and does not give either him or Mark any words of advice like he normally would. Jaebum thinks he knows why that is, but brushes the thought off because that _can’t_ happen. He has to worry about Taeyoung now, and help find a cure before he ends up like the others.

The door to his room is sealed with a special security lock placed by Jackson beforehand, with combinations only the captain and first officer will know. Tension rises in the air as Jaebum punches the code into the panel on the wall, and within seconds he’s received clearing. The door slides open, and he’s thankful there’s no one else in the hallway so they wouldn’t have to hear his shriek of surprise when they walk in.

The room has dropped in at least twenty degrees, so much that their breaths come out in luminous puffs of white smoke. What they had been trying to prevent stands directly in front of them, with Taeyoung’s comatose figure held up against the wall encased in the translucent matter. It hasn’t covered his face yet, so Jaebum hopes there’s a chance he’s still alive.

“Is he….?” Jaebum prays for the love of god they aren’t too late.

Mark takes out his pocket scanner and waves it across Taeyoung, and the look he gives Jaebum makes his heart plummet in his chest.

“Dammit!” He screams in no general direction, kicking over a nearby trashcan in frustration that flies off to the side. It scatters papers everywhere, but it’s not like Taeyoung will be there to care, since he’s no longer alive. Jaebum’s not prepared for one of his crew members dying. Sure he barely knew the ensign, but Jaebum considers everyone on this ship a family. He’s just lost someone under his command, and he can feel the guilt eating at him until it burns. He’d pull his hair out if the bile in his throat wasn’t threatening to make a guest appearance.

If this happened to Taeyoung after only a few hours, that means Jackson has the same amount of time left as well, and it flashes across Mark’s face at the same instant the thought pops into Jaebum’s mind.

Leaving Jaebum with no words, Mark works with speed to pull out an emergency medical kit he keeps in his back pocket. Suddenly there’s a needle in his hand and he jabs it into Taeyoung’s exposed neck, taking caution not to make direct contact. “I think I might know what this thing is, but I need a blood sample to make sure. If I’m right I can create an antidote in a few minutes.”

He takes the needle out, now full of the officer’s blood at the same time Jaebum finishes up the plan in his head. “Okay, you do that, Jinyoung and I will go to the bridge to watch over Jackson and try to regain order,” he turns to his first officer to get him going but the words die in his throat when he realizes Jinyoung is no longer standing behind him. He peeks into the hallway and nearly seizes; Jinyoung is nowhere to be seen. Jaebum’s chest clenches, like a two-ton anvil has just been dropped on him.

He knew something was wrong but he didn’t want to admit it, and now look where it’s gotten him. Jinyoung is wandering somewhere on the ship potentially infected, and they are only a little closer to finding a cure.

Mark gives him an ‘I told you so’ look from where he’s closing the door and locking it, but Jaebum’s in no mood to play around. He just lost a valuable crew member, he’s not about to lose his first officer too. “Dammit, Jinyoung.”

“Okay, new plan,” Mark decides quickly. “You find Jinyoung and get him to the bridge. I’ll get this to the lab and I’ll have the antidote in _fifteen_ minutes. I’ll meet you guys there.”

A great quality Mark has is that when something bad happens, he tends to panic at first for only a few seconds before snapping into life-saving mode. It’s no wonder he’s made it out to be one of the finest doctors in Starfleet, if not on earth.

He’s completely different from Jaebum, who internalizes his worry, so much so that he forgets he can’t even track Jinyoung. “Wait! Give me your comm,” he ushers Mark’s retreating form back. “I left mine at the bridge.” The device is tossed in his direction and he catches it with ease. A good thing about all their communicators is that they are programmed to track one another’s. This way if Jinyoung’s still got his comm on himself Jaebum can track him down in an instant.

“DON’T TOUCH HIM.” Is the last thing he hears from the doctor before they separate down the long hallway, both on different missions but working towards the same outcome.

 

 

Blessed for the advanced technology of the time, Jaebum is able to track Jinyoung down to their security office on the other side of the ship. It only takes him a few minutes to get there, mind racing the whole time. Why would Jinyoung choose to go to the security room of all places? It’s small and secluded, which would be optimal if you didn’t want anyone around to watch you freak out, but it’s also comprised of a wall of screens that link to cameras placed in every room in the entire ship -sans board rooms and restrooms.

He doesn’t have time to think about why Jinyoung chose that room specifically as he opens the doors, noting the lack of security supervisors at their positions. The room -which is no bigger than a standard board room- bares no soul except for Jinyoung, who sits in one of the chairs facing the screens with his head in his hands.

Since both Taeyoung and Jackson had nearly tried to kill him under their infection, Jaebum doesn’t know what to expect and cautiously enters the room, stopping only when he hears the click of the door behind him. “Jinyoung?”

The vulcan in question doesn’t look up or move, giving Jaebum a moment of panic until he speaks. “There’s too many of them, Jaebum.”

He shudders at the use of his first name over the usual ‘captain.’ At least the commander’s not dead. He replays the words back in his head, looking at the screens. “There’s so many of what, Jinyoung?”

There’s a pause, and then a sigh that gets stuck in his throat like he’s trying to stop himself from crying. He still doesn’t look up. “Emotions. I can feel all of them. How do you humans live like this?”

“Jinyoung, you’ve been infected,” Jaebum almost whispers. Anything can trigger him now that he’s not in control of his actions, and Jaebum tries his best to keep the other man as calm as possible. He doesn’t know if Jinyoung is hiding any weapon in here, and he’d rather not get another sharp object waved in his face.

It’s then that the science officer finally looks up. His eyes are puffy and there’s an quickening rise in his chest, which confirms Jaebum’s diagnosis. “I am very aware of that Captain. I would not be feeling these things if I was not.” Jinyoung is obviously uncomfortable, having never encounter this many emotions at once before.

Jaebum has to get him to the bridge before his reaction intensifies. “Mark is getting the antidote, just come with me and we can help you.”

“You’ll take it away?” Jinyoung pleads with so much sorrow in his voice that even with all their past differences, Jaebum’s face crumbles. He nods his head yes and motions for Jinyoung to follow him.

But Jinyoung only drops his head into his hands from where’s he’s standing, sounding more defeated than he’s ever been. “Captain, I just want them gone. Please make them all go away.”

Jaebum wishes he could reach out and give any sort of comforting touch, but he knows what will happen if he does. They need to get moving along, or else Jinyoung could wind up like Taeyoung, as it seems the pathogen’s infection process is speeding up with every host it takes. “Okay Commander, we just have to get you to Mark and he’ll-”

“THAT WILL TAKE TOO LONG,” Jinyoung peeks up and cries, startling Jaebum into the corner of the room. He’s in a nervous predicament now with Jinyoung zoning in on him and no way to get to the door. “Please just take them, just take them. I don’t want them!”

And before Jaebum can reach for his phazer Jinyoung rounds on him, pinning his body to the wall with all his weight. His spine pops from the force of it and he lets out groan, noting that they haven’t made direct contact yet. There’s a chance he can get the commander off of him of he can just angle his foot right to land a blow to the back of his leg.

But Jaebum runs out of time formulating his plan, gasping when Jinyoung’s hands come to either side of his face. The vulcan closes his eyes and Jaebum forgets everything in that moment as he’s flooded with images and sounds he’s never experienced before.

The first thing he feels is a vulcan kid pushing him down and laughing at him -but he’s never met this kid before in his life. It’s when the scene jumps to the image of a planet disintegrating that he realizes he’s not watching his own life, but Jinyoung’s through his eyes. He’s overcome with fear, anger, and perpetual heartache, something he never asked for. No other memory pops into his head, instead an ice cold sensation fills his bones and prickles the corner of his eyes. Something courses through his veins, an unpleasant emotion that he recognizes as utter and complete _loneliness_. A loneliness so intense that it digs into his chest like a knife, painful and real.

As fast as they came the memories are ripped away from him, and Jaebum is left drowning in a numbness that takes over his entire body. He dabs at his cheeks, realizing they’ve become wet from the overflow of emotions. He pieces together everything that was just presented to him, banging his head against the wall. Those were Jinyoung’s memories, Jinyoung’s _emotions_ that he chooses to keep buried down. But how… and why was he able to see them?

“What the fuck was that?” He heaves; his mind plays the visions on a loop, and he’s powerless to stop it.

“I’m deeply sorry Jaebum,” Jinyoung closes his eyes, trying to regain his breathing. “It was a vulcan mind meld. I tried to pass my feelings to you but I….” He rubs his hands over his face in frustration. “I still feel them.”

Letting his head fall back against the wall once more, Jaebum forces himself not to punch Jinyoung directly in the face. Not only was Jinyoung harboring some really troubling feelings, he also passed them onto Jaebum, and in the process they came into contact with each other while Jinyoung was infected. As soon as he understands that he’s now contracted the illness, his eyes snap open to peer at the man before him.

“Jinyoung, you stupid son of a bitch.” Jaebum has to get them to the bridge quickly, before he starts to show the side effects. He grabs the first officer by the collar of his blue shirt and drags him through the door, a fury running through his veins. “Come on.”

They make it out into the hallway, Jaebum continuing to tug Jinyoung along limply. He nearly gets them to the bridge when he feels his heart rate pick up, and his head becomes foggy. It’s like he’s been given a shot of adrenaline and _oh shit_ the infection is causing the reaction faster than he thought it was going to.

The only thing he can describe it as is like that one time he tripped on speed. Everything hit him in jolts of energy and his mind wouldn’t slow down. The air suddenly becomes much warmer than it had been three seconds ago, and he barely registers the shirt still in his hand. But they’ll be fine, Mark will be here any minute to give them the antidote.

They reach the bridge and that’s when the infection kicks into it’s full form. Jaebum recognizes a few voices yelling at him, but all he can focus on is the big glass window that separates them and the vast emptiness of space. He can tell his mind's playing tricks on him, but there’s a ship coming into view, and before he can say anything to the crew it’s sending blast after blast in their direction.

Jaebum turns around and sees no one reacting; Yugyeom is just staring at him perplexed, while Youngjae’s mumbling something in his ear which to his foggy senses kind of sounds like ‘ass man are you okay?’ He looks to Jinyoung for help, but the first officer has closed himself off from the rest of the ship. The vulcan sinks to his knees with his hands over his ears, like he’s trying to block everything out.

But this can’t do, there’s a ship hurdling right towards them and slinging shots at them over and over again. Why is no one reacting? If he doesn’t do something fast, the entire ship will go down. “SOMEONE FIRE UP THE WEAPONS. IT’S COMING RIGHT FOR US.”

He’s met with silence and then a, “Captain…” from somewhere over his shoulder. “There’s nothing out there, please calm down.” He places the voice as Youngjae comes into his eyeline.

“WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE UNLESS WE ACT NOW,” there are two things Jaebum is able to recognize in the next few moments. One, the logical side of his brain is still fully functional, and he knows that by the crew’s reactions there’s no ship firing at them. And two, the part of his brain being affected by the infection overpowers the logical part, so Jaebum does the only thing he knows how to do.

He jumps to the security controls and logs into the main frame. He vaguely notices the distant voices yelling at him. “ALL WEAPONS LOCK ON TARGET.” The voices get louder as he’s one step away from pressing the button to release their entire arsenal. But before he can get his finger to the pad Youngjae blocks the glass window behind him, aiming his phaser right at Jaebum’s chest.

“I’m sorry Captain,” is all he says before pulling the trigger.

Jaebum’s world fades to black.

 

By the time he comes to, he’s on a bed in the medical room surrounded by nurses who are chatting amongst themselves. There’s a pain in his arm and a dull ache in his chest; he barely remembers having been shot with the stun gun. _Note to self: do not do that again._

Jackson and Jinyoung are nowhere to be found, which could either mean Mark got the antidote in time and they’re okay, or the other thing which he’d rather not think about.

The nurses clamor around him when they realize he’s awake, but are soon shooed  away by Mark, who only sighs at Jaebum and crosses his arms. After the grogginess from the medicine subsides, Mark informs him that he’s been out cold for two days, both from the phaser and the antidote working to cleanse himself of the illness.

It turns out, the infection was caused by an ancient and almost extinct parasite called E. euros which inhibited Psi 2000. The parasite’s main function is to infect its host through contact, causing them to hallucinate. It then molds to their body and drains it of life. Luckily, Mark had created the antidote just in the knick of time, and was able to administer it to him, Jackson, and Jinyoung before the other effects could take over.

Mark had also created a vaccination, and required every personnel on board to get vaccinated, regardless if they had come into contact with the infection or not. He worked tirelessly day and night making sure the crew remained healthy, and for that Jaebum gives him a slap on the back and the next couple of days off for rest.

Jackson is back at the helm regularly, keeping his distance from Mark for the time being. His delusion of Mark being a ‘fair matron’ that needed saving by him has earned a few jokes and merciless teasing by the younger officers, and has sent the crew off in mad rumors about the two. Mark makes no comment on anything, still reeling in embarrassment from the incident.

The matter of Taeyoung’s body is still being debated, on whether or not they should give him a proper burial or dispose of the body and the parasite altogether so there’s no chance of it infecting any other person.

In the end it’s up to him to decide as the captain, and he determines that they will remove Taeyoung’s body and decontaminate his room, and then send him to Psi 2000. That way, when the planet finally collapses, every trace of E. euros will be destroyed. It doesn’t give the officer a proper send off, so Jaebum orders a small funeral to lay Taeyoung to rest with honors.

It’s no secret that Jinyoung has been avoiding Jaebum ever since the incident; everyone on the crew can sense it. They don’t know why, but Jaebum does. Jinyoung avoids him on the bridge and in the hallways because he shared a piece of himself with Jaebum that was too personal, and he wishes to take it back. Jaebum can see it in his eyes every time Jinyoung stares blankly at him from across the room, before he gives up and finds another job to do that’s not near him.

It’s just so fitting then, that he runs into Jinyoung on the bridge just minutes before the funeral. The crew has been dismissed to attend the service, leaving them the only ones there. Jinyoung sits at his station near the captain’s chair idly typing on his computer, and Jaebum thinks he should just confront him now before he has a chance to run off. It’s also why he’s standing in front of the doors blocking the exit.

He clears his throat to get Jinyoung’s attention, and the first officer looks up from his work with wide eyes. “Sorry, I was just…”

“No you’re fine, Jinyoung. I just wanted to talk.” With Jaebum’s admission, Jinyoung’s shoulders shrink and he looks like he’d rather be anywhere else but there. Jaebum would too, if he’s being honest with himself. But this was something that had to be done. Like they had agreed on before, no matter what happens between them or what they think of one another, they will not ignore their duties to the ship and to each other.

Jaebum takes a deep breath in and lets it out, ready to say what he’s been thinking on since the moment he got out of the sick bay. If Jinyoung agrees, it will be a good step towards a healthy working relationship. “Look I know we’re not close. But if things are troubling you, I want you to tell me.” Jinyoung is carrying some deep emotional baggage with him, Jaebum’s felt it. There’s no way one person should have to bear all that pain alone. It's also why he's an emotionally constipated mess.

“It’s fine Captain, I don’t feel anyth-”

“It’s not fine, Jinyoung,” he asserts, hoping somehow it will finally convey through his thick vulcan skull. “I’ve seen what’s inside your head, I felt what you felt. That isn’t… It’s not something you should hold by yourself. It will eat away at you until it explodes, like it did when you got infected with that parasite.”

Silence fills the bridge as Jinyoung wordlessly eyes him up and plays the words in his head again. “I should have never showed you, and for that I apologize.”

Rolling his eyes, Jaebum takes this opportunity to step closer to the commander, hoping the intimidation will make Jinyoung give in. “But you did show me, and I can’t forget it. Look I understand that you-”

“No! You do not understand at all!” Anger drips from Jinyoung’s mouth. His nose scrunches involuntarily and the way his lip snarls has Jaebum wishing he could run for the door. Angry Jinyoung is the most terrifying Jinyoung there is. “You have no idea what it’s like Im Jaebum, to have your family, your friends, you’re entire planet taken from you!”

He’s right, he’s never felt that before, only the small loss of his father. But Jaebum is tired of playing this game. “Then tell me! Make me understand!” He’s reaching the same decibels as Jinyoung now, knowing that any moment someone could be alerted to their confrontation and walk in. “Just tell me. It’s what humans do, talk to each other. Where’s the human side of you?”

Jinyoung seems to contemplate ignoring the proposition for a moment, but hell he’s too angry and gives in anyway, if only to make Jaebum see that this is _not_ something he wants anyone else to feel. His human half be damned.

“Fine, you want to know what it’s like? It’s cold, attune to a thousand tiny knives being plunged into your skin until you cannot breathe anymore. It’s feeling full and never picking up a fork again because it _hurts_ ,” his hands are shaking having to relive these moments over again, but he’s determined to finish. “It’s a thousand pound weight being hung over your shoulders to carry all the grief.” His voice gives out once, and knuckles become stark white from the force of the fist he’s making. “It’s living with millions of souls haunting you each night.” His breath hitches on the last word. He releases the breath he was holding, and relaxes his hands to lay at his sides.

Jaebum stands in awe, never in a million years thinking they’d get to this point with Jinyoung opening up to him, but the vulcan played right into Jaebum’s hands. They’re not even friends and Jinyoung has just entrusted in him everything he’s ever felt, every grief he’s had to live with. It’s finally a step in the right direction, and to them understanding each other. Maybe Jinyoung can see now that holding back is not always a good thing, and Jaebum can be the one to help him break free from his shell of turmoil.

“Good,” he nods at the confused face of the vulcan before him and turns to the door, a sense of accomplishment buzzing in the air around him. “Now let’s go lay Officer Taeyoung to rest.”

 

_“Captain’s Log. Stardate 2050.26. Observation of the collapse of Planet Psi 2000 began with a team of dead crew members, and a contact parasite called E. euros that spread through the ship. There were four victims, myself, Commander Park, Lieutenant Wang, and Ensign Taeyoung, and only one fatal casualty being that of the ensign. Dr. Tuan was able to create a vaccine to kill the parasite, and delivered the antidote to every crew member to prevent the infection from spreading. Ensign Taeyoung’s body had been laid to rest on the planet, and his family has been notified by Starfleet. In the end, we leave the former planet scattered pieces of what it once was, and set out again for the rest of our journey.”_


	3. Ep. 2: Errand of Mercy

Stardate 2050.42

 

Time passes by slowly in space, barely reaching the first earth cycle of the year. Since there are twelve cycles in total, it means they have only fifty-nine more cycles to go until their five year mission is complete.

Living in closed quarters with humans for long periods of time is not quite what Jinyoung was expecting. He had grown up believing that humans relied on emotions to fuel their actions, and while that rings true, he’s discovered that humans do hold the capacity to think rationally. Sometimes. Humans still puzzle him to no end, but he’s learning. At first, he had thought all humans were the same and incapable of change. Yet, few people had come along and proved him wrong, one of those being Im Jaebum.

Im Jaebum, to say the least, was not his favorite person. He was conniving, reckless, obscure, and had no respect for authority. Until he became the authority, that is. Now that Jaebum is acting captain in Admiral Park’s absence, Jinyoung’s image of him has done a complete 360. He’s proven to be serious about his position, and has surprised Jinyoung at how well he fits into the role of captain. What he used to think of as annoying, he only regards as a quintessential part of the captain’s personality. He’ll never admit it to anyone, but Jinyoung thinks that working alongside the other officer has been good for the two of them. Sure he’s still reckless and picks a fight with him over the smallest thing, but it’s something that’s ingrained itself into his regular schedule.

He doesn’t know if it’s because they’re finally coming around to being friends, but over a cycle and a half have pushed them closer together. They rely on each other to keep the ship in order, and there’s a certain trust between he and Jaebum as captain and first officer that cannot be described by words. There's also the fact that he had accidentally shared with him the burden of all the feelings he's chosen not to feel. While he wishes he could take it back, he can't deny that he feels somewhat relieved that there's someone Though Jinyoung is long since used to his antics, Jaebum will still do something that will have him rolling his eyes. Like right now, when said captain and Dr. Tuan seem to think it possible for them to give someone else a nerve pinch. They were all on the bridge waiting to approach the next planet they were delivering medical supplies to, when the idea popped into Jaebum’s head.

“You will not be able to perform it,” he has explained already. But the pair seem to think otherwise, pinching each other’s necks in the wrong places until red blotches form. The only reason Jinyoung gives into their ridiculousness is because humans amuse him to no end.

He watches the repeated series of events between Jaebum and the doctor -pinching, yelling ‘ouch!’, then laughing- before he gives up and drags Jaebum to him by the muscle of his right arm. He guesses it's a bold move as evident by the look of surprise on the captain’s face, but he pays it no mind.

“Here, I will show you.” Jinyoung plans to just point out where the bundle of nerves are, but Jaebum must think he’s actually going to use it on him as he flinches and grabs for his hand.

“Woah Jinyoung wait!”

He resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Don’t be so daft Captain. I would not do anything to hinder your ability to command this ship.” Jaebum squints like he doesn’t fully believe him but makes no move to get out of his grip, so Jinyoung takes this as a sign to go ahead. He pulls the captain’s collar low enough to expose the junction between his neck and shoulder, and gently drags his index finger over the smooth skin until it reaches the right spot. “Here.”

He does it a little more intimately than he means too, and doesn’t miss the way Jaebum shudders at the touch. He has no time to analyze it as Jaebum jumps at the chance to try and use it on someone else, rushing to Youngjae with his fingers out.

“OW OW!” Shrieks the lieutenant as Jaebum sneaks up behind and gives the skin a good pull. “Why me?!”

Youngjae rubs over the afflicted area with a sour face, while the captain looks away in disappointment, shrugging his shoulders. “Nothing?”

“As I have already told you, it is not possible.”

“Yeah Jae, stop hurting the crew, it’s not gonna work.” Mark just lounges in the captain’s chair lazily, watching the situation before him with a smile that stretches from ear to ear. “Jinyoungie’s just got something we don’t.”

The vulcan cringes at the nickname, one step away from telling the doctor to get back to his station and off of the _captain’s_ chair when said human pops up in his line of vision.

“So a vulcan can do it to a human, but a human can’t do it to another human,” he smirks like he’s just figured out the answer to the universe. “Does that mean a human can do it to a vulcan?”

Jinyoung scoffs. _What an utterly illogical question._ If only vulcans are able to access the nerve bundle in humans, how would they be able to do the same? Besides, vulcan anatomy does not allow for bunches of nerves to sit together. That would be an bodily disadvantage that would make them more susceptible for attacks. Still, Jinyoung answers calmly, having learned that humans do not take nicely to being belittled for their lack of vulcan knowledge. “That is also not possible, Captain.”

This doesn’t seem to phase Jaebum, who only raises an eyebrow. “Is it really not possible or do you just not want me to do it because it is?”

Tilting his head, Jinyoung sighs while trying to hold back a grin. Im Jaebum was persistent, and Jinyoung could go along with his little game long enough for him to realize he’s wrong. He gives the captain the go ahead by stretching out his neck.

The captain’s hand is light and feathery at first, pressing gently to the skin. Jinyoung feels goosebumps form on his arms as he waits, watching Jaebum find the right spot.

Jaebum pinches the skin together between his fingers, causing only a little discomfort to the vulcan. He hisses and Jaebum pulls away defeated, pout etched on his lips when Jinyoung doesn’t collapse. He doesn’t remove his hand either, touch going back to gentle as he rubs his thumb over the pink-tinted area.

Jaebum doesn’t seem to think anything of it, and neither does Jinyoung until he realizes the proximity of their bodies towards one another. They’re close enough that he can see the two moles above Jaebum’s eye with complete clarity, and Jinyoung feels his face heat up without his permission from the intimacy of it all. _Odd_.

The touch only lasts a few seconds and Jaebum is moving away. “No fair.”

The captain doesn’t seem to have noticed his little hiccup, or he did and chooses to ignore it. He moves away and Jinyoung feels like he can breathe again. He pushes the feeling down and stores it in the back of his brain for him to analyze later, like he does with everything else.

When he looks back up, Mark is regarding him with a quizative look, like he knows a secret Jinyoung doesn’t. He ignores the doctor’s stare to meet Jaebum where’s he’s standing by Yugyeom’s station.

They watch the ship drift through space in amicable silence, only interrupted by the door to the bridge opening as the ever eager Jackson Wang struts through. He’s got two coffees in his hands and a smile on his face, which falters slightly when his eyes fall on the doctor still sitting in the captain’s chair. A regular crew member wouldn’t have been able to catch it, but Jinyoung is very perceptive of everything that goes on, and can take a guess as to why the two go to such lengths to avoid each other. _Another reason why human emotions are a distraction._

Without stuttering, Jackson passes Mark to get to Jaebum, handing him the second coffee which he takes with ease and a polite ‘thanks’.

“I guess I’ll head back then,” the doctor says with indifference, and plays it off like it’s not obvious Jackson is who made him want to leave.

The captain waves him off and Jinyoung nods, and then Mark is out the door without another word. Jackson sulks into his coffee, and Jinyoung wonders when they’ll both stop being irrational. He hopes it’s soon, otherwise he might accidentally say something he shouldn’t.

He leans to Jaebum, dropping his voice so Jackson wouldn’t hear. “They do realize that we all know something is evident between them, right? They are very bad at hiding their emotions as most humans are.”

Jaebum laughs, a sweet sound that Jinyoung’s been accustomed to hearing for the past forty or so days. “Your mind is a marvelous thing, Commander.”

Jinyoung wants to ask what the captain means by that, but the words die out as soon as Jackson’s voice fills the bridge.

“Less than ten minutes to arrival at Exoplanet III, sir.”

Jaebum nods, impressed. He turns to Jinyoung. “Alright landing crew, get ready to beam down.”

 

 

Exoplanet III is a small planet in a galaxy that mirrors their own. There isn’t much to see, so their trip will be quick. A main hospital called SM General, one that holds the criminally insane, is due for a new shipment of medical supplies from Starfleet. Since the Got7 had the closest coordinates, they were chosen to deliver them. The landing crew consists of Jinyoung, Dr. Tuan, and Lieutenant Choi. Mark will be the go-between with the other doctors at the facility, Youngjae will work as a translator if need be, and Jinyoung is the one who will oversee the entire operation. The excursion would start with a quick tour of the facility so Starfleet could monitor their operations, and then they would discuss the amount of supplies they required and how they would be paying for it.

When they arrive at the landing platform in the hospital, they are met immediately by their correspondent and manager of the building, Dr. Lee Sooman. The older man dons a fitted white lab coat and a smile on his face when they step off the platform for greetings. They introduce themselves one by one, leaving the doctor for last.

“Hello. We welcome Starfleet warmingly,” the man bows, prompting the team to do the same. “I know I had promised you a tour to inspect the patients, but right now is education time. It’s not good for their idle brains to take in too much at once.”

He says it so nonchalantly that it sends a shiver down Jinyoung’s spine. He does not like the way the doctor speaks of his patients, even if they are criminally insane. But now it looks like their trip here will be even shorter. “If you don’t mind my asking, Doctor, what is education time?”

“Ah, I’m glad you asked Commander Park!” Lee answers as he ushers them through the doors and into a hallway of empty white walls. All three listen with interest as they follow the man down to where they assume is his office for the negotiation, since the tour isn’t happening anymore. “Twice weekly for an hour, we bring in adapters that we hook up to a scan that can send images to their brain through video waves.”

Jinyoung opens his mouth to ask about the things they are shown, but Mark beats him to the punch.

“What kind of images?”

“Oh simple things like robbery, murder, rape. Then we follow that up with images of darkness and pain. We are conditioning them to associate the horrendous acts they’ve committed with bad things, so they won’t do them again when they get out.”

All three officers share a concerned look, and Jinyoung has to dig through all the files he’s stored in his brain to find the one on ethics. While rules of ethics on torture and healing tend to remain the same throughout the galaxy, different planets have various rules in the ways they go about it. So while it may seem like cruel punishment for a crime to earthlings (as that is evident by looking at Mark and Youngjae’s reactions), Starfleet has no authority here due to international rulings.

“I see,” Mark replies through gritted teeth.

While Jinyoung can’t outwardly announce his distaste for the practice, he can as Jaebum always calls it ‘smart mouth’ until they’re done. “Has this method actually worked, Doctor?”

Lee guffaws as they reach their destination. He pulls out his keys and unlocks the handle. “Several times, Mr. Park! We’ve had many patients leave here completely cured of their… _diseases_ , and go on to lead happy lives.”

He says ‘diseases’ like it’s a dirty word, which doesn’t sit right with Jinyoung. As a medical practitioner, he should be as impartial as possible when addressing his patients. He should take a lesson or two from Dr. Tuan.

 Jinyoung snaps out of his reverie when Dr. Lee slides the door to his office open and motions for them all to enter. “Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?”

 

 

When the meeting is over, they’ve hashed out the details of the arrangement and say their goodbyes. They came to an agreement that within the next hour the ship will beam down a few basic necessities -gloves, sterilization equipment, syringes, and crates full of various medicines- in exchange for a couple thousand earth credits.

Youngjae, Mark, and Jinyoung make their way through the empty hallway back to the beaming center. Jinyoung is rather disappointed that they are not able to see the rest of the facility, but doesn’t question Dr. Lee’s warning of possibly challenging the patients’ progress. This place has a great reputation throughout the cosmos, along with the other hospitals on the planet.

“I don’t like this place, let’s go.” Mark admits when they take their positions on the pad in the center of the room.

“Yeah it gives me the heeby jeebies,” Youngjae adds, and soon the room is filled with the sound of the worker at the control panel scoffing like he’s been personally offended by the comment.

Jinyoung squints his eyes. “We’re ready now sir.”

The workers moves to type in the code to begin the process, and Jinyoung readies his stance. Far too many times he or someone else have been beamed up in bad positions and have ended up with pulled muscles or sprained ankles. Trans-planetesimal beaming is no joke.

The door slams open then, revealing a shorter doctor in a lab coat and interestingly enough a baseball cap. Dress codes must not be too strict at this facility.

“Wait!” The man cries, scrambling to get in the room and nearly falling over. He steps into the light and now that they can get a good look at him, Jinyoung takes in the strawberry blond hair underneath his cap and the insane cat eyes that are the most prominent feature on his face. He looks a lot younger than them, and the commander wonders how he ever came to be a doctor at such a young age. “My name is Dr. Xiumin. Dr. Lee sent me to um, inspect the contents on the ship before we um, take them.”

The man sounds out of breath and stumbles over his words, as if he’d been practicing them beforehand and had forgotten what to say. He keeps his head low which strikes Jinyoung as odd, as well as the fact that Dr. Lee hadn’t mentioned sending one of their own up with them.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Tuan,” Mark says before Jinyoung can respond. He shakes the other doctor’s hand as he steps up to the platform. “Actually, Dr. Lee didn’t tell us you would be joining us.”

The doctor’s eyes widen. “Oh uh, yeah. He just called me down, said it was a last minute decision.”

Something seems off about the interaction, but Mark and Youngjae take his answer with no other questions, so Jinyoung decides to ignore the feeling in his stomach. He’s probably just overreacting, wary about anything that steps onto the ship after what last occurred with late officer Taeyoung.

Now with everyone ready, the worker from before dials a series of codes and presses their entry mode into the computer. Within seconds the hospital disappears from view and they materialize in the transport room of the Got7.

The storage room where they keep everything in bulk is on the lower level of the ship, which means they’ll have to take the elevator and cross through a few rooms. The four exit the room to begin their small journey (after all the ship stretches for miles), with Mark leading the way as Jinyoung, Youngjae, and the doctor follow behind. Youngjae is mumbling something to himself in a language Jinyoung doesn’t recognize, so he seeks to silence the lieutenant’s distracting words by informing the doctor on what supplies they will be receiving.

“Starfleet’s quality is the very best of it’s kind and we have everything from acetaminophen to albuterol to glyco-”

Suddenly there’s a hard jab against his left cheek like he’s been hit with a rock, cutting him off mid-sentence. A dull pain erupts that spreads through his face, and he doesn’t have time to turn around to confront what’s hit him before another blow knocks his legs off the floor sending him crashing down on his ass. It’s then that he realizes he’s just taken an elbow to the face.

He only has time to look up and see Youngjae’s frantic shout before he too is being assaulted. The assailant is none other than Dr. Xiumin, who bends the lieutenant’s arm most painfully and flips him onto his back.

His movements are so quick and precise -not that of a human’s- that Mark doesn’t even have time to process everything and reach for his phaser before the doctor is rounding on him. He drags his fist across Mark’s face with a sickening crack and wraps him in a headlock, stopping his movements.

Neither Jinyoung nor Youngjae have time to procure their weapons before Xiumin has a gun aimed directly at them in one hand, the other holding Mark to his chest. Jinyoung glances down and realizes it would have been futile to grab at his weapon, as it now rests in the hand of the man before them. He must have snatched it when Jinyoung was down somehow.

There’s blood on his cheek and a coppery taste in his mouth, so Jinyoung does the only thing he can in this situation. He raises his hands above his head in surrender, prompting Youngjae to do the same. He felt something was off about the doctor when they first met, and he wishes now he would have said so, then they wouldn’t be in this mess of a situation. He wonders what had prompted the attack.

“Take me to your captain!” Xiumin yells, and Jinyoung registers that he doesn’t sound angry, but almost… scared. It’s something he’s recognized a lot working with humans for so long. But he is unsure if this guy is even a human or not, so he could be mistaken. Xiumin doesn’t miss the opportunity to remove the phaser from Mark’s belt, which he then places against his neck. “Take me to your captain or I will shoot him.”

He knows that’s a _bad_ idea. No good comes out of an enemy wanting to see the captain of any ship, and this doctor -if he even is a doctor- seems one second away from a psychotic breakdown. But he knows as he’s searching for a way to get out of this, there’s no other option. The man has a gun trained on all three of them, and one wrong move could end with holes in their chests.

So, knowing there’s only one thing he can do, Jinyoung stands up and ushers Youngjae to do the same. He gets a good look at Mark whose eye is beginning to swell shut with light bruising, realizing Xiumin must have hit him with the phaser to create that kind of mark.

Xiumin keeps the guns trained on them as the two move past to lead him to the bridge, where he knows Jaebum will be. He keeps an arm around Mark’s chest and the gun pointed painfully into his neck, but the doctor remains cool and collected, even with a busted lip and makings of a black eye.

It’s surprising that they don’t run into anyone on the way, fate somehow clearing the hallways just in time for them to pass through without a trace.

When they reach the door to the bridge, Jinyoung feels the barrel of his phaser press into his spine. Xiumin’s voice wavers as he whispers, “Open it.”

Jinyoung mentally kicks himself for letting the situation get this far, but types in the code that opens the doors regardless. He can’t risk one of them getting hurt.

Everyone is in their normal positions when they enter the room; Jaebum at his chair, Jackson and Yugyeom navigating together at the front two stations, and so on. That’s why it doesn’t look out of the ordinary when they all file in one by one. Nobody bats an eyelash until the captain spins in his chair.

“Ah Mr. Park, how did it…” It takes two seconds for Jaebum to realize he’s got a gun pointed on him and his officers, and a little more than that for the rest of the crew to notice too. There’s a few gasps, but most just look on with horrified expressions in silence. Jinyoung sees the moment Jaebum takes in the predicament in full, with both he and Youngjae with their arms up and Mark being held hostage. Anger flashes across his face as he slyly reaches for his phaser.

But Xiumin’s eyes catch the movement. “Put your hands in the air or I’ll put a hole in his chest! Everybody put your hands up!” The crew comply unwillingly, making everyone in the room susceptible for an attack.

He looks around at the confused and frightened faces of the bridge; Yugyeom is annoyed but his hands shake with each breath he takes, and Jackson’s eyes never leave from Mark, worry replacing any level of fear he has.

From where Jinyoung stands in front of the assailant, he isn’t able to observe his actions, but he is able to perceive every emotion evident in his voice. Like before, the man is not angry, or out for blood. His voice wobbles every so often with fear and anxiety, making Jinyoung question why he seems so scared.

“Are you the captain?” He asks Jaebum, to which he nods his head. “Good. Just do as I say, and no harm will come to your crew.”

Jaebum, not wanting any trouble, agrees. “What do you want?”

With a gun still trained on the captain, Xiumin says, “Take me as far away from this place as possible.”

And that’s not what anyone was expecting him to say at all. It was expected of the faux-doctor to ask for money, or for them to leave the ship to him, not for them to… make an escape?

“I don’t understand,” the captain says baffled, lowering his hands slightly. “We can’t leave, we have a job to do here. We’re supposed to be sending them supplies-”

“NO YOU CAN’T SEND _THEM_ ANYTHING!” Xiumin screams in panic, phaser trembling in his hands. “NOT THEM. WE HAVE TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW BEFORE THEY FIND OUT.”

It all begins to click in Jinyoung’s mind at this moment, pieces falling together like the puzzles he never paid attention to in grade school. The way Xiumin had come in right before they had left with the excuse that Dr. Lee had given him instructions last minute, the way he seemed to hide his face, and now demanding they leave before someone finds out. It can only mean that Xiumin, like he expected, isn’t a real doctor, and the way he trembles when he speaks indicates he’s scared of something. The ‘them’ he guesses means the hospital and the real doctors, which can only mean one thing: Xiumin is one of the patients.

It doesn’t piece together for Jaebum like it does Jinyoung, who only continues to try and calm the armed man before them. “Okay okay! We’ll leave,” he shocks the crew into deeper silence. “We’ll leave as soon as you let my officer go and tell us who you are and why you want to leave so badly.”

Xiumin grunts impatiently, obviously in a hurry to depart from the planet. “We don’t have time for that.”

“Then you will make time.”

The assailant stands there speechless, regarding the captain in a curious way before giving in. He removes his hold around Mark who rushes away to stand by the captain, but does not lower his weapons. He has to play by their rules now, otherwise there’s no getting out of the situation unscathed.

Xiumin glances around the bridge, holding a breath for a few seconds before letting it out shakily. “My name is Kim Minseok of Exoplanet III. I was abducted along with eleven others five years ago and placed in SM General where I’ve been tested and experimented on ever since.”

Xiu- no _Minseok_ closes his eyes as he breathes out the last word, leaving the entire deck hanging on his statements. It’s evident that this is hard for him to talk about, which leads Jinyoung to believe he’s either telling the truth or a very good actor. Either way, they must approach this with caution as he is still classified as criminally insane.

“Why you?” Jinyoung asks. “Why take any of you for no reason?”

“Because we are different,” he explains, wishing he didn’t have to.

Oddly enough, it’s Mark who asks the question on everyone’s mind, content even though the man had held a gun to him. “How are you different?”

“We posses abilities normal humans do not. They put a device in my arm to suppress it. Take it out and I will show you.” It sounds like a trap, Mark making no move lest he get another black eye. “Don’t believe me?” He scoffs, finding Jinyoung’s eye through the crowd and boring into them with fire. “You, vulcan. See for yourself.”

The commander’s eyes blink a few times, registering that he is referring to the mind meld. He must be well versed on many alien species if he knows about it, something the normal human would not. Jinyoung has a strong feeling that Minseok is telling the truth, but doesn’t let his guard down as he approaches the smaller man, aware that the phasers are still held chest level.

“Jinyoung wait…” Jaebum warns, but he need not worry. He can handle it.

“It will be fine, Captain.” Jaebum nods reluctantly to give him the go ahead, and he brings his right hand up to Minseok’s face.

He stares at Jinyoung like he’s burning a hole in his head, unblinking as he begins the process of melding their minds into one.

Instantly, Jinyoung is transported into a small apartment in the middle of a city, looking down at the passing cars underneath him. There’s a crash and suddenly everything goes black as he’s being blindfolded. The vision shifts and now he’s injected with something and thrown harshly into the back of a large van. Arms come out to catch him, and he looks up at the faces of eleven others in handcuffs. It shifts again but this time he’s lying on his back looking up at the white ceiling of the room, a dreaded bright light blinding his eyes. There’s a doctor now -Dr.Lee- talking to him.

_“We will make you all better.”_

Then there’s pain, hot and blinding that runs from his legs to the tips of his ears. He screams, but no one hears him. The vision shifts again and now he’s sitting in a cell with four walls. He’s thirsty, so thirsty. He covers his ears trying to block out the cries of horror, but they still get through. The vision changes one more time, his ears pressed against the cold stone wall.

 _“Starfleet will be arriving soon to drop off some supplies.”_ One voice says.

 _“Make sure they are not made aware of the patients conditions.”_ Comes from the second. It’s Dr. Lee’s unmistakable drawl.

_“I guess it’s education time.”_

Jinyoung pulls out of the swarming visions of horror and misery and drops his hand to his side. His eyes search the man’s before him, now stained with tears from having to relive the years of terror. He felt everything, from the pain, to the fear, to the heartache, and hopelessness. It’s something he hopes he never has to feel himself.

“He’s telling the truth.” He informs, not breaking eye contact.

Jaebum reluctantly goes along with it. “Dr. Tuan, please remove the device from Mr. Kim.”

Mark, who isn’t pleased by any means, sighs at the captain with his arms crossed and follows the orders. He’s wary because of the giant purple bruise now formed around his eye, not wanting another altercation. But Minseok lowers his weapon and rolls up the sleeve of his right arm. He points at the device’s position, waiting as Mark brandishes a pair of gloves and a scalpel from his pocket kit.

The slide of the blade over skin and the blood that drips out is enough for Jinyoung to finally look away. Minseok makes no sound, indicating that he’s been cut into so many times that he’s used to the practice. Mark lets out a “holy shit” and his eyes sprint back to the chip held between his fingers, no bigger than a dime and covered in blood.

“Is this a tracker?” The doctor asks, holding the chip up to the light.

“No, no,” Minseok responds while rolling down his sleeve, ignoring the blood that saturates it. “I already took out the tracker. Look.” He spins so his back is facing them and tugs down the white coat, revealing a small area of mutilated skin that hasn’t fully healed over yet. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s able to keep me from using my ability. I would have taken it out too, but you had already arrived and I didn’t have enough time.”

The crew listens on with curious expressions that replaced their previous ones of uncertainty. There’s no telling what he means by ‘abilities’, but it’s evident that whatever these people possess, someone wants to use them as lab rats for it.

Jaebum, now in full belief of Minseok, speaks for the crew. “What is your ability then, Mr. Kim?”

The man smiles, stepping forward to grab onto the railing. “You might want to watch your footing.”

No one has time to question what he means by that before he begins putting his words to action. The first thing that happens is the temperature on the bridge falls significantly, as if every trace of heat is sucked out. Soon all eyes fall on Minseok’s hand, a few gasping audibly when a thin layer of ice spreads from beneath his palm over the railing. The ice travels from both ends, completely covering the railing that stretches across the bridge. Within seconds the floor beneath them becomes covered in a thin sheet as well, blanketing the room in it’s icy glow. Now he knows why he said to watch their step.

As a final display of power, Minseok closes his eyes and retracts the ice, the crystallized waters dissolving without a trace. It leaves the crew speechless, gazing in awe at the man with superhuman abilities with jaws hanging to the floor.

If this man has such an intense frost power, Jinyoung is desperate to know what the rest have. “You’re an inhuman,” he realizes, remembering reading about their kind years ago. They’re a type of human with genetically altered genes that gives them superhuman abilities, like flight or even frost. They were supposed to have gone extinct long ago, but it looks like a new sub-group is evolving. The man nods his head in confirmation.

“That’s… amazing,” Jaebum says in disbelief to defuse the silence. “And there are eleven others just like you down there?”

Minseok’s face falls. “There were.” By now he’s completely forgotten about the phasers and they clatter to the floor, but no one moves to retrieve them. He clears his throat. “They brought us in and tortured us to no end. Some of them went crazy and killed themselves. We lost Kris and Luhan a few years ago within four months of each other.” He looks particularly distraught when he says Luhan’s name, meaning that they must have had a history. “Then we lost Tao a year after that; they fried his brain. They couldn’t take it anymore and just gave up.”

That’s what Dr. Lee must have been referring to then, when he explained that there had been a few “successful” patients who left the facility cured. He just conveniently left out the part about them being dead.

In obvious discomfort, Minseok continues. “They told me the rest of them were gone, and I was the only one left. That’s why I had to break out. I was all alone and wasn’t going to let them kill me too.”

Minseok goes on to describe the torture methods they used all in the name of god to try and “cure” them of their powers. It’s despicable and inhumane, and Jinyoung let’s himself feel sorrow for the man briefly before hiding it away. Mineok also informs them of how he was able to escape, by observing the guards and jumping when an available window opened.

“So let me get this straight,” Jaebum starts, and all eyes fall on his calculating form as he replays everything in his mind. “They steal people with superpowers, lock them up and run experiments on them, all under the cover that they are a hospital to help the criminally insane?” Minseok nods, and Jaebum rubs a hand over his face. “Ok. Mark, you take care of him while I figure out the best course of action. Everyone else, back to your stations until I say otherwise.”

The crew scatters, but Mark still looks relatively uneasy around the inhuman as he takes out his scanner.

“I’m very sorry for hitting you,” Minseok apologizes after a few silent seconds when the doctor drags the device over his face. “It was the only thing I could think of at the time.”

Mark chuckles as he reads the diagnostics. “I’m not gonna pretend it didn’t hurt like hell, but I understand why you did it. I probably would have done the same thing in your situation.”

Jinyoung looks away from the pair when he feels the cold press of fingers against his sore cheekbone.

“Geez, he really did a number on you,” Jaebum notes while tilting Jinyoung’s chin to investigate the dried green blood (since he is a vulcan of course) and blossoming light bruise. “I really don’t like seeing my first officer injured. You okay?”

This new territory that comes with being closer to Jaebum now is that he’s oddly possessive over his crew, and Jinyoung is no exception. One would say he’s even more possessive over him because of his higher rank, competing close with Mark. Strangely, Jinyoung feels at ease with it. It makes him feel like he’s useful and wanted, but he tries not to reflect on it too much.

The captain’s touch is warm and welcomed, but is gone in an instant. Jinyoung wishes he shouldn’t have to worry about him so much. “I can assure you I’m fine Jaebum. I’m more worried about him.” They both turn to the stranger on the ship, blood being drawn from his arm.

“We have to get Starfleet out here right away.” Jaebum tells him. He was just about to suggest that idea as well. This is a matter of human rights, and only Starfleet has the authority, once they uncover the operation, to shut it down. Luckily, they were given the time frame of one hour before they needed to get the supplies down, which gives them enough time to get in touch with Starfleet and think of another plan.

“Um Captain,” calls from Jackson, who pulls up the hologram monitor to be displayed before the large window. “You might want to take a look at this.”

“What is it?”

“I just employed a thermal detector on the hospital and….” The lieutenant uses his fingers to zoom in to the lower level of the building. “I’ve counted all doctors and guards, but there are exactly eight other heat signatures unaccounted for.”

“What are you saying Lieutenant?”

“I’m saying that unless they found eight new inhumans in the past day,” he turns to Minseok bravely. “Then your friends are still alive.”

Upon hearing this, the inhuman’s eyes widen, and he jumps up from the chair he’s been resting on. He’s clearly in shock by the news after being led to believe all his friends were killed. His eyes start to water, but he brushes it off prohibiting real tears from forming, hands balling into fists. “Lee lied to me.”

Dr. Lee Sooman, head of the SM Hospital for the criminally insane, has been lying to everyone and is running an unethical operation right under their -and Starfleet’s- noses. It makes him sick just thinking about it. Well, he isn’t going to get away with it, that’s for sure. They have to do something quick because Starfleet will not have enough time to get here before they notice the man is MIA.

There’s a plan formulating in his mind, but he doesn’t get a chance to voice it when Minseok sprints to the door.

“Where are you going?” The captain asks, freezing him in his place.

“I have to get them. I won’t let him hurt them any longer.”

There are so many things wrong with that plan, namely that the man will not be able to take down the entire facility by himself. “How do expect to do this all on your own?” He voices.

Minseok shrugs at the same time Jaebum comes to a conclusion. “We’re going to help him.”

“And just how are we going to do that Im Jaebum?” Jinyoung is incredulous. They aren’t prepared for this at all. Sure, something needed to be done and quick, but what are they supposed to do? Go in and blow the place up?

“I don’t know yet Mr. Park. But I will not allow innocent people to become lab experiments.”

 

 

In the end, Jaebum develops a plan with only a few windows for error, proving why he’s the one in charge. A total of five of them will beam down to the planet: Jaebum, Jinyoung, Mark, Youngjae, and Minseok. Youngjae will act as a distraction for Dr. Lee, pretending to hash out the details of payment and whatever else to keep him occupied. The other four will sneak into the facility in crates that pose as the containers containing the supplies.

Back on the ship, Jackson and Yugyeom will hack into their cameras and provide navigation for them once inside. The plan is to break out each patient, and Mark will quickly cut out their trackers before anyone notices. Finally, Bambam will beam each person back onto the Got7 and Starfleet will (hopefully) have gotten there by then.

Minseok has given them a basic rundown on the other eight inhumans being held captive in the hospital. Seven are from planet III, and one hails from planet II. The first is Junmyeon, who possesses the ability to manipulate water. Yixing is the only one from planet II, and has the power to heal those he touches. Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Jongdae are all the same age, and were taken minutes apart. Baekhyun controls light, Jongdae can manifest lightning out of a clear sky, while Chanyeol can control fire. He’s the direct opposite of Minseok. Kyungsoo possesses a strength that is unmatched, and Jongin has the ability to teleport. The youngest, Sehun, can bend wind and air to his will.

Inhumans are people that shouldn’t be messed with, so they’ll have to go about this very carefully to prove they are not the enemy. But that’s why they have Minseok to gain their trust.

They are beamed back to the hospital with the “medical supplies.” Youngjae is lucky that he can materialize just as himself, and not have to cram into crates that hold no room at all, because the trip is just ridiculous. There were only three crates large enough to hold them, and since Mark and Minseok were the shortest, they were able to take the two smallest crates, which left Jaebum and Jinyoung to share a long crate together.

( _“I guess I'll be on bottom then,” Jaebum said, and then realized how it would sound out of context. “Wow I haven't said that in a while.”_

_Jinyoung nearly choked on his saliva._

_“Is that a phaser in your pocket Commander, or you just happy to see me?” The captain had joked from beneath Jinyoung when they were situated, breath hot on his face. It was too dark to see, but Jaebum was definitely grinning._

_Jinyoung rolled his eyes from where he was pressed against the captain. This was not the time nor the place. “Your jokes during potentially disastrous situations never cease to amaze me.”_

_“Aw Jinyoungie, are you saying I amaze you?”_

_Shut up you dimwit!” He scream-whispers, maneuvering his hand to cover Jaebum’s mouth.)_

“Ah yes, hello,” they hear Youngjae from outside of the crate, only a sliver of light illuminating his form. “Here are the supplies. I will now go finish up the negotiations with Dr. Lee.” He’s impressed, the lieutenant has performed perfectly under the pressure. He could have been an actor is he hadn’t joined Starfleet.

“Sure,” comes from the personnel from before. “I’ll send someone down to retrieve them.”

Youngjae leaves them, and they sit with bated breaths, not so much as blinking so they won’t be discovered. If they do, this operation will be over real quick.

There’s a few moments of complete silence, but then the door is opening again, and Jinyoung has to brace himself against the sides when the box is lifted by a pair of workers. Jaebum does the same, but instead of moving to the crate, his hands land on either side of Jinyoung’s waist. The air suddenly becomes a lot thicker and the tips of his pointed ears ignite. He knows the captain doesn’t mean anything by it, but the touch is familiar and something he's been without for a while. This is becoming a tight predicament, and he prays they can get out of there quickly.

It’s minutes later when the crates are dropped to the ground, Jackson’s voice booms through their earpieces. _“Alright, you’re in storage. Cameras are down and there are five guards so be ready.”_

They can’t respond back without the threat of being found out too early, but they both nod at each other and hope the other two are prepared as well.

Jaebum mouths ‘one...two...three…’, and pushes the lid off with arms surrounding Jinyoung’s head. They leap from the box as Mark and Minseok emerge from their own, the five guards immediately startled by the commotion. It doesn’t take long for them to stun the men into unconsciousness and strip them of their uniforms, deciding to avoid attention by disguising themselves in the militarized attire. It will also help protect them in case something goes wrong and they come under fire. Jinyoung also snatches one of the keycards, knowing it will be needed to access the patients.

Once they’ve secured the black uniform and mask, Minseok comes up with the idea to put the guards in the crates, just incase anyone comes in. When that’s done, Jaebum speaks into his earpiece, ready for the next step. “Alright Jackson, where are they at?”

_“Three levels below you. There’s a staircase at the end of the room.”_

With Jackson’s directions they reach the stairs with ease, and quickly find themselves at the door leading to the level, phasers raised.

_“They’re being held in cells along the floor. Phasers up, the place is crawling with guards.”_

“That won’t be a problem.”

Jaebum counts to three again and then opens the door. No one pays them any attention because they look like regular guards, so they aren’t expecting it when guns are suddenly pointed in their direction. Shots ring throughout the halls stunning the men onto the floor.

They’ll have to move quickly to get everyone out before someone ultimately notices; they just hope that Youngjae is taking care of Dr. Lee well enough.

The first room they come to is Kyungsoo’s, Jinyoung being able to swipe the keycard he stole to open the iron door. The man weakly hangs in the air with both hands and feet encased in a metal contraption, and flinches when they enter.

“Pls, no more,” he gasps breathlessly, hiding away from them. It’s then that they realize what they must look like to him; guards who are here to bring him to another round of torture. They remove their helmets, and the man is noticeably relieved to see Minseok standing before him.

“D.O, we’re going to get you out of here, okay?” The inhuman rushes to his friend, inspecting the device he’s trapped in. “How do we unlock it?”

 _“I’m working on it.”_ Yugyeom says in his ear. _“Got it!”_ And just like that, the device opens up and Kyungsoo crashes down into Minseok, who was waiting to catch him.

Once the rest of the device is removed from his hands and legs, Mark makes quick work of digging out the tracker in the back of his neck.

“There will be good people waiting to help you, trust me.” Minseok relays to his friend, who doesn’t protest or ask any questions. “I’ll see you soon. I promise.”

Jaebum takes that as his cue to call back to the ship. “Bambam, beam him out.”

Kyungsoo vanishes and they move onto the rest of the cells, knowing that they’re going to have to move quicker; Youngjae can only hold out for so long.

What they find when they enter each cell is gruesomely disturbing, and goes against all forms of human rights. Sehun is strapped to the wall with a muzzle reminiscent of the one Hannibal Lecter wore in Silence of the Lambs. Yixing is suspended in midair by a gravitational pull around his body, back arched like it’s ready to break. Junmyeon’s cell is padded with sandpaper and over 100 degrees, a ploy to keep any moisture away from him. They find Jongdae left alone in a small tank filled about an inch from the top with water, and a trap door in Baekhyun’s cell, locked with the man trembling in the small dark room. The only two left are Chanyeol and Jongin.

They come upon Chanyeol’s cell first, having to stun a guard who had the misfortune of walking in just seconds before. Like Jongdae, the tall man rests in a glass case on the ground, almost like a coffin. It’s sealed with a number and keypad, but they aren’t going to use it. Minseok will just freeze the glass until it shatters like he did with Jongdae.

He places his hands along the glass, but when the ice flows out, nothing happens. He smashes his fists against it one, two, three times, only to be met with a wincing Chanyeol.

This means that somehow they’re going to have to use the pin code.

“Yugyeom, there’s a four-digit code. Can you find out what it is?” Jinyoung presses his earpiece.

_“I can’t. Not unless I have the four numbers. And even then, there’s hundreds of combinations. I’m sorry, I’ll try to figure something else out.”_

“We don’t have time for that!” Minseok growls frustratedly. And then like a lightbulb flashing,  an idea pops into his head. “Wait! Go find Jongin! Remove both of his chips. He can teleport, so I think he can get Chanyeol out of here.”

Mark and Jaebum rush out with haste, leaving Jinyoung and Minseok to look upon Chanyeol as he remains trapped in his glass box. He’s like a zoo animal, Jinyoung notes, being watched like this. He’s a lab rat, poked and prodded, tortured all because he’s different. It hits him close to home, having been on the end of that stick his whole life.

“It’ll be okay, Yeolie.” Tracing his fingers over the transparent containment, Minseok continues to perform admirably. He would make a great Starfleet officer one day, Jinyoung admires.

Within seconds Jaebum and Mark return to the room along with Jongin, face flushed as he slicks back his sweaty gray hair.

“Nini, tell me you can do it.” Minseok pleads.

Jongin replies, “Of course,” and vanishes before their eyes, leaving behind a puff of gray smoke in his trail. He appears again in the case with Chanyeol and grips onto him, disappearing a second time. The next time he materializes he’s dragging Chanyeol to Minseok by the collar of his shirt.

“Okay Bambam, they’re ready.”

_“Got it. I’ll get them and then get you once you find Youngjae.”_

White wisps surround them until the last two inhumans are nowhere to be seen, safely having been transported aboard the Got7. They don’t get to beam out yet, but their mission is almost over. All they have to do is find Youngjae and then they can get out of there for Starfleet to handle the rest.

Apparently, that’s not a part of the plan anymore, as evident by the blaring alarm and flashing red lights that ignite throughout the holding cells. Uh oh, not good. They must have tipped someone off the their presence.

“Shit!” The captain yells, darting out into the hallway. Jinyoung follows as a protection just in case anyone is already waiting for them. “They know we’re here, Bambam, get us out now!”

They wait for a response, but all they’re met with is static and Bambam’s broken voice cutting in and out.

“Jamming….. Sig…. can’t....sorry…”

Though it’s fading in and out, it’s enough for them to understand that it’s going to take a little more for them to get out of this.

The alarm pierces the air, and without warning the door to the cell slams shut and locks, trapping Minseok and Mark while leaving Jaebum and Jinyoung sitting ducks out in the open.

It looks like they’ll have to face a whole swarm of guards just the two of them, but a puff of gray smoke gives them hope as Jongin teleports back into the cell.

“I’ll get you guys out, but I can only take two at a time!” He shouts through the barred window on the side. “I’ll be back for you guys don’t worry!”

But Jinyoung does worry. He worries when Mark and Minseok dissipate, and he worries when after a good thirty seconds, Jongin doesn’t come back. Jaebum is frightened too, realizing at the same time he does that the teleporter is gone for good.

As if matters can’t get any worse, dozens of footsteps are heard on the other side of the floor.

Jaebum becomes frantic, voice spilling out in streams of curses and fast-paced pleads. “Captain to Got7, Captain to Got7. What’s going on up there? Tell the guy if he’s waiting for a good opportunity to get us out now’s a good motherfucking time!”

It takes all of a few seconds for two rows of guardsmen to discover them and line on both sides of the hallway. Jinyoung and Jaebum are backed into the wall, knowing full well that they will not be getting out of this alive.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you, Jinyoung.”

“Likewise, Captain.”

The startling thing is, while the pair raise their phasers to the men, not one of them matches. There’s no trigger pulled and no words traded between the opposing sides. Jinyoung barely recognizes that the alarms have stopped.

Another set of footsteps is heard -make that two- while the captain and first officer keep their stance, guns now aimed at an officer they almost forgot about.

“Youngjae?” Jaebum gasps, lower his weapon.

“I’m sorry Captain.” Hands raised, the lieutenant chokes out a sob. “He forced me to tell him. He used this-”

“I used a truth serum.” A voice interrupts, belonging to none other than Dr. Lee Sooman, walking slowly towards them with a phaser pointed at Youngjae’s back. No, it’s not even a phaser. It’s a real gun, loaded with bullets that could end them faster than they could open their mouths to scream. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find out? That you would take my possessions away from me? They are almost cured, you wouldn’t want to stop their progress now would you?”

Jaebum spits in his direction. “You sick fuck. You can’t treat people as goddamn science experiments.”

Lee only chuckles. “You have such a marvelous way with words, Captain Im, I presume?” Jaebum squints as a response, which the doctor takes as a yes. “Ah. Well you see Captain, I can do whatever I want with these _monsters_ as I see fit.” He laughs menacingly, like ruining people’s lives is the funniest thing in the world.

“It would appear quite the opposite Doctor, as the inhumans are now under the protection of our crew.” He could have thought of something better, but as his possible last words, Jinyoung thinks he did okay.

“Oooooh the vulcan’s got bite,” he taunts. “You guys make a good pair. You know, you’d made an interesting study, my friend.”

Resentment and hurt flashes across the vulcan’s face. He wants to give a hearty retort, but suddenly Jaebum is stepping in front of him like a human shield.

“Over my dead body,” he sneers with enough venom to give a rattlesnake a run for it’s money. The captain has never been this angry before.

The doctor tilts his head and shrugs. “That can be arranged.”

The bullet ejects before the sound does, a deafening bang that leaves Youngjae holding his ears from where the offending weapon is poised right next to his head.

It happens so quickly that Jinyoung only has time to register the doctor’s finger on the trigger and then Jaebum is collapsing backwards into his chest, shirt stained with red from the gaping hole in his stomach.

“JAEBUM!” The added weight from his limp body sends both of them to the ground as Jinyoung cradles the captain to his chest. There’s no warm wetness coming from his back, which must mean the bullet didn’t go all the way through, and is still inside his body.

“Nyoung…” Jaebum coughs weakly and blood rolls out, indicating there’s internal damage somewhere. Jinyoung lifts the soaked shirt a few inches to reveal the wound and applies pressure with his hand, hoping to at least stop _some_ of the bleeding. Youngjae’s body wracks with broken sobs as he crouches down and looks at his captain’s fleeting form.

He knows Jaebum will be dead within the next few minutes, and then Youngjae, and then him. He closes his eyes and wills himself not to feel any ounce of pain, hysteria, or fear,  and looks back to the assailant so he sees the indifference written in his eyes. If he’s going to go out, he’s going out like a vulcan.

“I know Starfleet will be here any minute, so I shall leave you, Vulcan, with this last thought.” Lee positions the barrel of the gun so it’s lined straight with the back of Youngjae’s head.

 _Good_ , he thinks. _At least he won’t know it’s coming._

Jinyoung waits for the inevitable, but it never comes. Out of nowhere a body appears from thin air in front of Youngae. _Jongin._

“I don’t think so!” He snickers, latching onto the lieutenant’s shoulder. They’re gone in a flash, leaving the doctor angrily bewildered until the teleporter returns again. This time he’s got a phaser with him and appears behind his back. “I wonder if this is set to stun. Let’s hope not!” The trigger is pulled and Lee Sooman is knocked off his feet to be caught by a few guards off to his right side. The teleporter is gone again before the guards can respond, but just as quickly reappears in a crouched position, gripping their arms. “Sorry about that boys!” The guards move to get up, but Jongin smirks and closes his eyes.

Teleporting is quicker than beaming, Jinyoung learns as they manifest on the linoleum floor of the medical wing. Jaebum’s still lying lifeless beneath him, eyes barely open as the rise of his chest slows down. A few bodies gather around the three people who have just appeared on the ground, and he barely registers Mark yelling “Get him on the table!” before the captain’s frame is being hauled out of his arms.

“What took you so long?” Jinyoung grills the teleporter when they both scramble from the floor. What was he just waiting until the last possible minute to save them? Jaebum would not have been shot and face potential death if he had come like he _promised_.

Jongin scrunches his eyebrows, a flash of guilt illuminating his features. “I’m so sorry, sometimes it just takes time to recharge.” The commander doesn’t know how the whole process works so he is in no place to argue. The kid didn’t seem like the type to purposefully toy with people’s lives anyway.

There’s voices shouting in all directions around him like an ominous cloud of depression looming above. Jaebum’s already got an oxygen mask around his mouth and Mark’s got his hand-held x-ray machine positioned over his lower abdomen, cursing loudly. “Shit! The bullet pierced his stomach, he’s got gastric acid leaking everywhere! I don’t know if I can stop it.” He snaps his gloves on as a nurse hands him a clamp.

It seems the whole crew is watching now, all sharing watery-eyed faces of heartbreak as Mark holds Jaebum’s life in his hands. Jinyoung can’t move, rooted to the spot at the sight of his captain’s form sparsely clinging to life. The background becomes a blur of motion, now having to face this new reality that Jaebum is going to die.

Then, the heart monitor that was once holding a steady rhythm begins to accelerate. The green line zig-zags up and down sporadically, beeping twice per second.

“He’s crashing!” Mark screams, which is all it takes for Jinyoung to pull himself back to his senses. The nurses are rolling out the crash cart, and in that instant Jinyoung realizes he’s been so preoccupied with Mark saving Jaebum that he remembers _he_ doesn’t have to. There’s someone else better equipped to handle this, one that is not human who they just rescued moments ago.

As if having heard Jinyoung’s thoughts, there’s shouting through the cluster of bodies, elbows jamming the nurses’ ribs to get through. “Move, move! I can save him, I can save him!”

One of the older inhumans Yixing, he remembers, nearly slams Mark to the wall to get to Jaebum’s body in time. With everyone now watching in faith -Mark, Jinyoung, the nurses, and the inhumans- the healer closes his eyes tight enough for wrinkles to form, and spreads his hands along the captain’s gaping wound. If you were to drop a pin, one could pinpoint the exact location it landed with the deafening silence that engulfs the white room as everyone waits with baited breaths.

Like a miracle, In the next five seconds that pass the heart monitor falls back to it’s regular rhythm, and Jaebum’s face regains its natural color. Yixing removes his blood-stained palms, Mark brushing him out of the way quickly to check the wound, like he’s unbelieving of what just happened.

The skin is bare -sans the red tint from the blood- with no sign that he’d even been shot to begin with. Mark’s scanner comes back positive, and Yixing looks positively happy he could help. Jaebum doesn't immediately spring back to life, but he will, which is all that matters.

Stunned faces soon turn to astonished, followed by the sounds of cheering and clapping. Jinyoung can’t help but clap along too, eternally grateful that now among other things, they won’t be without a captain, and he didn’t lose someone important.

 

 

Stardate 2050.43

           

Because Jaebum was incapacitated, it meant Jinyoung had to step in as acting captain on his behalf. Starfleet arrived just moments after Jaebum had pulled through, and took Lee Sooman and his staff at SM Hospital into custody. The hospital was searched and shut down, and Lee and his staff will be charged with galactical terrorism.

Minseok and the inhumans are being left under the protection of Starfleet, and were ordered to evacuate the Got7 immediately. They are to be taken into hiding once they are reunited with their families, where only top admirals of Starfleet will know. They all thanked Jinyoung, Youngjae, and Mark profusely, Yixing even healing the bruises inflicted upon them by Minseok as a form of gratitude. They had wished to thank the captain and were willing to wait until he woke up, but Starfleet had denied their request, saying they didn’t have enough time. It was a shame, Jaebum seemed to have liked Minseok a lot. Jinyoung did too, admiring the lengths he was willing to go to to protect his family.

It takes the captain almost a full day to completely recover and wake up. When he does, Jinyoung is right by his side explaining everything that happened while he was out. Jaebum is shocked to say the least that he had made it out alive, and is disappointed to find out the inhumans are gone, unable to personally thank them.

“I am very pleased that you are alive, Jaebum.” He admits shyly when the curtain is drawn around them by one of the nurses.

Jaebum must not have been expecting him to say that, if the shocked expression on his face is anything to go by. The ‘o’ of his mouth stretches out into a sly grin. “Yah Park Jinyoung,” the intonation goes higher as he stretches out the last syllable, and the vulcan readies himself for the taunt he knows is coming. “Are you saying that you actually…. _care_ about me?” He giggles, any seriousness fading from the conversation.

Jinyoung suppresses the want to whack him across the head, remembering how when Dr. Lee had referenced doing experiments on him Jaebum was there in a second, protecting him until his almost last breath. It sends a foreign but not unwelcomed feeling through his chest, and he admits that it makes him see the captain in a different light.

But still, Jinyoung bites back with his vulcan inability to let someone have the upper hand. “You didn’t let me finish, Captain. I am very pleased that you are alive, because it means I will not have to take over in your place.” He ends sarcastically, not telling Jaebum what he wants to hear, but showing him enough that he can take what he wants from it.

“Why you little,” he laughs and moves to playfully punch Jinyoung in the arm, but the commander blocks the blow by wrapping his fingers around his wrist, pulling it down. “But c’mon, you know you’d miss me.”

He drops his wrist, not missing the way the captain almost _flirtatiously_ bites his lip. “Perhaps. I’d have to begin quarreling with Yugyeom or Bambam then, which does not sound as amusing.”

The captain’s eyes crinkle, and he looks like he’s contemplating saying something else. But before he can, another voice dances lightly through the door.

“Is Jaebum okay?” They can’t see past the curtain, but Jackson’s voice is too distinct and gravelly not to recognize.

Mark, who Jinyoung had forgotten was still here, answers back with a sharp tongue. “Yeah, no thanks to you.”

There’s a disbelieving scoff from behind the curtain, followed by an, “Excuse me?”

 Jinyoung and Jaebum look to each other in exasperation. This battle the two keep fighting has gotten old a long time ago, and Jinyoung wishes their friends weren’t so childish and hard headed. If this continues, he’s going to (sadly) suggest to the captain to refer one of them to another ship.

“Nevermind.”

“No tell me, it seems you have a lot of things you want to say, Mark.”

“I do have a lot of things I want to say, Jackson.”

This is beginning to get fired up, and Jinyoung is sat wondering why neither him nor Jaebum have done anything to make their presence known. He feels like he’s watching a drama series, and even though he should, he does not want to look away.

“Then tell me Mark! I have a feeling it’s not about the captain anymore.”

“Are we really going to do this then? Because I’ve been thinking of what to say to you for a while.”

“Then by all means,” the lieutenant’s voice raises. “Let me have i-”

“OKAY OKAY!” Jaebum finally decides to act, yanking Jinyoung from the bed by his sleeve. Took him long enough. They emerge from behind the curtain to find Mark and Jackson in each other’s face, staring back at them in surprise. If they are wondering why the two had taken so long to come out, they don’t voice it. What, did the doctor really forget he still had a patient in here?

“We’ve got to be going now! I’m trusting you don’t bite each other’s heads off!” Jinyoung isn’t able to get a word in, the most burning question ‘ _What do you think you are doing?’_ when the captain pushes him out of the room by his shoulders. The door closes, and Jinyoung faces him with uncertainty.

“Captain was that really the wisest decision?”

“Yeah, totally. They’ll be fine, I think.”

Jinyoung hums unsure, and before he can say anything else the arguing picks up again, this time inaudibly. Mark and Jackson must really be having it out, completely dismissing the fact that two of their superiors had just overheard most of it.

The shouting continues a good minute or two, both Jinyoung and his captain shamelessly with their ears pressed to the door to try and catch any of it. It’s not easy, the metal door makes it nearly impossible for distinct sounds to come out.

The hallway falls into complete silence, the pair jumping to their feet thinking the worst.

“Shit,” Jaebum whispers. “I didn’t think they were actually going to kill each other.”

“I warned you of this Im Jaebum, but you never listen to me!” It now becomes a match of rhetoric between the two instead.

“Then you go check Mr. Know it all!”

Jinyoung scoffs. “Resorting to name calling suggests you are defensive and therefore find my objections valid!” Their whisper fight is starting to strain his throat, and the ridiculousness of the situation starts to catch up to him. He’ll do it, if it gets Jaebum to in his words, shut up. “Fine! I will do it, you petulant child.”

He gets a hand on the door handle and Jaebum looks pleased, mumbling under his breath, “Now who’s name calling ?” but not low enough for Jinyoung to miss. That was most likely his intention regardless.

He takes a steady breath, and opens the door a sliver where only his head peeks through. Expecting to find Jackson dead with a scalpel plunged in his heart, he lets out the breath he’d been holding when he understands why the two had become so silent.

Their mouths are….unavailable at the moment to continue their battle of words, colliding together as if they are trying to devour each other.

Mark is perched on the table grabbing onto Jackson’s face, who stands between the doctor’s legs as they come to wrap around his waist. Jackson has to tilt up a smidge to meet Mark’s mouth, but the other man meets him halfway.

 _Oh._ Is all that pops into his head. That confrontation didn't last very long. He gazes on until he remembers he’s supposed to tell Jaebum what’s happening.

But like a curious cat in a new home, said human slides the door open even wider and gasps, “OH SHIT.”

Mark and Jackson snap their heads in the direction of the door, startled by Jaebum’s inability to keep his thoughts to himself. They’re stuck in a short staring contest, having been caught interrupting their act of intimacy.

When he can’t take it anymore, Jackson cries out breathlessly, raspier than before. “The hospital is closed for visiting hours!”

Mark’s cheeks pinken in embarrassment, causing him to duck his face down into Jackson’s shoulder. They take this as their cue to leave, Jaebum giggling like a schoolgirl as they click the door into place. If he’s being honest, he does not want to witness what will surely be coming next if this is a reconciliation.

Jinyoung and Jaebum walk together until they reach the small elevator that will take them to the bridge.

“You could have warned me! I would rather have not seen my friend shove his tongue down my helmsman's throat, ” Jaebum jokes, pressing the button for the bridge. The elevator begins moving and the captain sighs. “That was... interesting. I guess they worked everything out?”

Jinyoung just nods. “It would appear so.”

“And what do you think about it, Jinyoung?” He asks him like it’s any of his business what the crew get up to together behind closed doors.

The affections shared between humans have always interested him. As a scientist, it’s always something he’s wanted to study. But secretly it's more than that, he actually adores the deep relationships humans have whom are destined to be together. “I believe two people who care about each other so intensely are fascinating.”

Jaebum takes in his opinion intrigued, as he usually is when Jinyoung says anything to him. “Mr. Park, secret romantic?”

Rolling his eyes, the commander watches the lights from the levels of the ship cross through the cracks in the doors as they ascend. It’s oddly calming. “Not really.”

Jaebum’s next question gets a little personal, crossing into a boundary of something more friendly. “What, have you never been in a relationship with a girl before?”

He would laugh at the word _girl_ if the conversation wasn’t slowly building with an unreadable tension. He knows that they do not know much about each other’s personal lives, so Jinyoung doesn’t blame him for the opportunity to talk about it. He’s been a little curious about his own as well. Though the loaded question makes the tips of his fingers buzz, he thinks it’s okay that they’re able to talk about these things. After all, they are becoming friends, right?

He gives his standard answer when anyone asks about his dating life. “No.” It’s straight and to the point, but also the full truth.

The older man snickers, like he’d been betting on his answer. “Why? Too busy?”

And Jaebum still doesn’t _get it._ One would think that Im Jaebum, open about his sexuality during their academy days, would be the first to understand.

Still, his heart jumps in his throat when he responds. “No. I do not feel attraction to the female gender.”

The doors open as if on cue, and Jinyoung steps out to avoid the tirade of questions the captain surely would like to hail at him. It’s not like his sexuality is a secret -far from it. He doesn’t tell people at first so he can correct them about it later, if only to gauge their various reactions. It gives him a satisfaction nothing can describe, kind of how he feels right now looking back at Jaebum, who watches stunned from the elevator.

Their sharp eye contact battles it out until Jinyoung has to turn away, internally cringing at how oblivious their captain is. “What are you doing standing around for, Captain? We’ve got work to do."

 

_“Captain’s Log. Stardate 2050.43. Yesterday while delivery supplies to the SM Hospital of Exoplanet III, we uncovered an unethical operation when a former patient and later discovered inhuman boarded our ship in the disguise of one of the doctors. Kim Minseok informed us of the use of experiments and torture on other inhumans by Dr. Lee Sooman in hopes of curing them of their abilities. We intercepted his operation and rescued the other victims, with only a few minor cuts and bruises along the way. The inhumans are now under the protection of Starfleet, and have been reunited with their families. Lee Sooman is under trial for crimes against the galaxy, and everyone aboard the Got7 is reading for another adventure.”_

 

 

Stardate 2050.59

 

A little over two weeks after the incident involving SM General, the USS Got7 receives an unknown transmission in the form of a video call. Yugyeom warns that it might be a fraudulent message because it reads unknown, but Jaebum requests that he display it anyway.

The video pixelates on the window, broadcasting the image of one Kim Minseok, looking brighter and healthier than ever.

“Hello Captain,” he begins, to which Jaebum gives a hearty hello, pleased to see the man once more. “I’m sorry for getting in touch with you so late. Starfleet has moved us somewhere far and warned us against intergalactic communications for a while.”

“Firstly, I want to say you look well for a man who was shot in the stomach, and I’m glad you healed well.” The captain laughs and thanks him with a slight bow of his head. “Secondly, I was unable to thank you personally for saving me and my friends under the circumstances. I know your officers have already heard this already, but I cannot express to you how grateful we are for all you have done. We have all been reunited with our families and are able to live normal -well relatively normal for people that have inhuman powers- lives. The crew you have works so well together. You and Commander Park make a great team.”

At the mention of his name Jinyoung smiles and bows. “Thank you,” the pair say in unison.

“Unfortunately I will not be able to give you our location or anyway of contacting us.”

The captain mulls it over, knowing it’s due to Starfleet’s rules and not meant as an offense to them. “I’m happy you all are safe and able to be with your families. If you ever need anything from us, don’t be afraid to ask. I’m always willing to fight for good people. Please tell the other boys we say hi and wish them well.”

“Thank you Captain, I will.” Minseok pauses to raise his hand in farewell. “Goodbye my friends, I’m sure we will see each other again someday.”

The crew on deck give their thanks and last goodbyes. Jinyoung dares to stand out, giving his customary vulcan salute with the four fingers on his hand split down the middle forming a ‘V’.

“Live long and prosper.”

Minseok mirrors the gesture. “Live long and prosper.”

The image fades to black.

 

_“Captain’s Log. Stardate 2050.59. We received a transmission from Kim Minseok, thanking us for all our help in rescuing the inhumans. We do not have any other information on where they are or how to get in touch with them. Im over and out.”_

 

 

 


	4. Ep. 3: Kronos

Stardate 2050.111 7:41 pm

 

Today was supposed to be an easy day, just cruising through unfiltered space with no coordinates set. This entire week was planned for resting and stocking up on supplies (most of the crew even took their own pods down to visit their families for the duration), and setting courses for the next handful of missions Starfleet wanted them to complete.

But of course, nothing on the USS Got7 ever goes according to plan. That’s why Jaebum finds himself on his knees at the bridge of a klingon warship, surrounded by the faces of his terrified crew and the klingons holding them hostage. There’s a phaser pressed to the back of his skull and klingon dialect drumming all around him.

Klingons are none to be messed with, especially in deep space. He prepares himself for the gun to go off and his brains to splatter against the floor, wondering if there was something else he could have done to prevent this situation from happening.

 

 

 

Stardate 2050.111 5:30 pm

 

The funny thing about being in space for an extended duration is that it’s easy to lose track of time. Since there’s no weather in space, it’s easy to forget the seasonal changes until they land on a different planet. But even then that’s not even the case, as every planet has their own weather patterns and seasonal differences. But guessing by how they’ve just surpassed the one hundredth stardate mark and are close to entering the fifth time cycle, it’s somewhere around the middle of spring on earth.

One aspect Jaebum’s noticed about space travel is: humans still have needs. Some have more needs than others, and when it comes to sexual needs, there’s always someone in the same situation. While Jaebum himself hasn’t been in the mood for physical intimacy because he’s going through what he calls his seasonal drought, his crew does not follow in his example.

Too many times to count, he’s called in on one of his officers in the middle of the heated act or walked in on two members engaged in a lip-lock someplace where they’d assumed no one would go. Like when he stumbled upon Yugyeom and Ensign Jihyo making out in a supply closet (the two were given a talking to about the privacy of their own _rooms_ and sent on their way because he’s not a buzzkill), or when he _regretfully_ thought he could talk to Mark in his room one morning about a new vaccine for the crew, and instead got a full view of Jackson’s bare ass while Mark panted underneath him. Needless to say things were awkward between the two and it took nearly three weeks for Jaebum to be able to look Jackson in the eye.

While there’s nothing in Starfleet regulations prohibiting inter-crew relationships (except at the higher levels), there have been a few problems caused by _certain_ crew members who can’t keep it in their pants. Jaebum was at a loss when Yugyeom entered the deck stark white in only his underwear once because he’d been locked out of his own room by Ensign Sana (who flipped when she found out he’d also been with Ensign Jihyo). It took all of two seconds for Jaebum to unlock the room (universel keycard privileges of being the captain), and send the young ensign back to her station without any tear shed. Yugyeom was given another talking to, this time about how he shouldn’t mess around with multiple people on the ship, especially since everyone knew one another very well.

He’s in the middle of pestering Yugyeom about said incident (much to Yugyeom’s displeasure), wearing a plain black shirt since he’s procrastinated washing his uniform shirts for the past couple of weeks. He warned the crew if they even so much as thought about referring to him as anything other than “captain” while he was out of uniform, he would ban them from desserts at dinner.

Yugyeom looks like he’s about to stomp out as Jaebum continues to pester him, when Mark enters the bridge with a plastic bag in his hands and a smile painted across his face. With his brown hair parted down the middle and his petite features, it’s no wonder why people call him the visual of the ship.

“You ready, babe?” He greets Jackson at their usual time for dinner, slipping the bag of food he brings for them into his arms and pecking his lips lightly.

Ever since the two had reconciled all those weeks ago, it’s been nothing but heartfelt smiles and sweet touches. It turned out that the whole thing between them was one big misunderstanding that came from both parties, as everyone later found out. Mark thought Jackson had lied about wanting to be more than a hookup and left the next morning, which is why he ignored him when they tried to talk. What had actually happened was that Jackson did leave in the morning, but only to pick them up some breakfast. He left a little sticky note on Mark’s forehead but when he came back, Mark was gone. He assumed Mark was lying too, and proceeded to ignore him afterwards. The note must have fallen off while Mark was sleeping, which in hindsight, Jackson now knows was probably not a good place to put it.

“Of course!” Jackson nods at the same time Yugyeom gags loudly, to which the older gives a death glare. Over the past couple of cycles the couple have become excruciatingly cringey in love, but no one really minds or has the heart to say otherwise. Jaebum’s glad his friend always walks around with stars in his eyes, and he has to admit, they are cute together.

 “Yah Kim Yugyeom,” Mark takes Jackson’s hand as they weave back towards the lift. “You’re just upset you can’t get any because all the girls stay away from you now.”

The officer snorts, flicking Mark’s words away with his hand. “Whatever. I’m not the only single one here, it’s not like Jaebum has anyone either.”

“Hey leave me out of this,” the captain says, not needing to be reminded about his slump. Neither Mark nor Jackson say anything else as the doors to the bridge open, revealing a typical Park Jinyoung with a clipboard in his hand, exiting as the the two enter. “Besides,” Jaebum looks back to Yugyeom. “I don’t need anyone. I’ve got my vulcan, which is more demanding than any boyfriend or girlfriend.”

Jinyoung’s eyes leave his page when Jaebum’s arm comes around his shoulders, unaware of the conversation that is taking place. “As it seems I have walked into the middle of another conversation about me, I believe my services will be best suited somewhere else for now.”

“No you don’t,” Jaebum holds the commander in place with two arms to prevent him from leaving, like he always does. The first time they were gossiping about the vulcan they were just curious about his ears and whether or not they could pick up wifi signal. Needless to say, Jinyoung wasn’t laughing. The captain smiles from where he’s now side hugging Jinyoung, “Yugyeom is just jealous because he can’t get laid and Bambam is away visiting his family in Thailand for the week, so he has no best friend to wreak havoc with.”

He misses the way Yugyeom’s shoulders drop at being reminded of his loneliness, eyes only focused on Jinyoung when he speaks.

 “I’m still not understanding how that pertains to me, Captain,” the vulcan turns his head so they are looking at each other now, standing still in his arms.

Jaebum squints his eyes. “Is your vulcan head really that thick?” Could Jinyoung really not know that Jaebum is content with it being just the two of them for now, because Jinyoung (while oddly demanding as a person and a first officer), is also what he would consider his best friend? These past weeks showed Jaebum that Jinyoung is not only a man of duty but a man of compassion and complexity, and that he has the capacity to form meaningful relationships with people. They’ve grown as officers together and learned valuable things from one another in their first one hundred days in space, all while having conversations with each other about life, love, the universe, and troubling pasts.

Jinyoung has confided in him more about the feelings he wants to desperately bury deep, and Jaebum has shared with him details of his father he hasn’t even told Mark before. If he has a problem -whether it be work related or personal- he will tell Jinyoung right away. In Jinyoung’s case it will take a bit longer due to his hard-headedness, but eventually he’ll give in and inform Jaebum if something’s up. It’s like he wants Jinyoung to know everything about him and vice versa, and can’t imagine anyone else being his first officer.

Jinyoung even seems to smile a little when the two are together -which is often- and when something happens it’s less of an “oh I should tell Mark,” and more of an “I can’t wait to tell Jinyoung”. They click much better than they did before, and Jaebum realizes that even though their personalities are complete opposites, they complement each other well. They’ve become somewhat of a dynamic duo on the ship, and more often than not someone will whisper “JJ” when they are together.

“A vulcan’s skull is no thicker than that of a human’s, Captain.” Jinyoung, ever the incomprehensible officer, doesn’t get it unless Jaebum drills it into his skull, or spells it out for him to read. Luckily, Jaebum considers himself to be a petty person, so he decides he’ll let Jinyoung figure it out for himself.

“You’re impossible, did you know that?” He asks.

Jinyoung nods, speaking in a sarcastic tone, “I am very well aware, as you make it your mission to inform me of it every single day.”

“Are you guys done?” Yugyeom, who they forgot was still there, asks like he’s been offended.

Jaebum takes that as his cue to release Jinyoung from his hold, patting the first officer on the back. “See? Jealous.”

When Jinyoung gets to his station and Jaebum plants himself in his seat, he faintly hears an, “I’m not jealous,” before he leans back and shuts his eyes.

 

 

Stardate 2050.111 6:27 pm

 

It’s not even an hour later when the ship comes to a steady halt, as per the captain’s request. There had been another ship that had come up on the radar, seemingly lost in the middle of space. Yugyeom informed him that the ship was an older cargo vessel, likely had been abandoned years ago and they were the first ones stumbling upon it.

Jaebum had tried connecting to the ship to see if anyone would answer, but there was nothing, indicating it’s isolation in the void.

As per Starfleet regulations, abandoned ships are meant to be examined and then brought back to the nearest space port (to prevent intergalactic clutter and whatnot). Which is why Jaebum, Youngjae, and Mark find themselves walking through the hallways of the rustic ship. Mark was annoyed at first, having to leave his and Jackson’s dinner date, but soon got over it realizing his services might be needed just in case there was someone on board.

The entirety of the ship is silently blinding, the floor creaking with every occasional step. Yugyeom was right -by the looks of it and the systems- that the ship was that of an older cargo vessel. But every now and then they’ll stumble upon areas of open hatches in the floor or ceiling, which can only mean one thing: smugglers.

Whoever ran this ship previously were doing it illegally by the looks of it, using the compartments under the floors and in the ceilings to smuggle who knows what. At the moment there’s nothing in them, which means they had either just delivered their haul or were on their way to pick up another one.

There’s a very odd chill that runs down the back of Jaebum’s spine, one that freezes his feet to the floor. _Something is very wrong here._

Mark and Youngjae nearly knock into from his sudden pause, looking to him in confusion. He doesn’t know what it is, just that there seems to be an overwhelming air of dread that grows larger with every step they take in the direction of the ship’s bridge.

“Jaebum?” Mark’s whisper pierces the air and strikes the back of his neck.

He lifts his hand up, telling them to be silent. He reaches into his pocket for his comm, still staring into the darkness ahead. “Jackson,” it’s almost like they’re in a horror movie, waiting for the murderer to pop out at any second. “Run a scan and see if there’s any life forms aboard the ship.”

_“You got it.”_

There’s a moment of nothing but anxious breaths consuming the hallways before Jackson is back on the communicator, voice hot in Jaebum’s ear.

_“Negative, Captain. The only forms coming through are you, Mark, and Youngjae.”_

“Thanks,” he pockets the communicator at the same time Mark approaches him.

His face is concerned, brows tightened to where they form small wrinkles in his skin. “Hey, what is it?”

Not knowing what to say, Jaebum shrugs his shoulders, but the feeling continues to crawl up his neck. “It just feels like something is wrong, I don’t know. Arm your phasers just in case.”

The two lieutenants nod in compliance, following in Jaebum’s footsteps as he raises his weapon to the floor and carries on.

They march forward on alert at the captain’s intuition, ready to take down anything that comes their way (even if Jackson found no trace of life, there’s still something nagging at the back of Jaebum’s brain telling him to be aware of everything).

His intuition serves him right.

The men are walking down what seems to be the hallway leading to the helm when it hits them, raw and stomach-churning. Mark has to reach up to cover his mouth, while Jaebum’s throat is left restricted and burning. Youngjae cries out and looks like he’s about to vomit. The culprit: a putrid odor that wafts lazily through the air with nothing to do but invade their senses. To describe it with words, one could say it’s what you’d get if you left raw meat in the sun to rot for hours on end. It smelled like straight up death.

“What is that?!” Youngjae continues to gag, lifting his shirt over his nose to prevent at least some of the stench from getting to him.

The captain hacks again and tries to regain his composure before speaking, covering his nose with the back of his hand. “I don’t know, but we have to continue on. Maybe it’ll pass.”

The stench doesn’t dissipate, but becomes less and less noticeable as they reach the bridge, having been accustomed to the odor faster than they thought they would. Through the hallway to the deck is pitch black like an endless void, and Jaebum lifts the flashlight he forgot he was carrying in his other hand.

Luckily, the design of the ship seems to resemble that of the Got7’s somewhat, making it easier for them to navigate to the bridge. Jaebum is able to locate the power controls on the wall quickly, but misses the opportunity to flip the switch when a wet squeak erupts behind him followed by the crash of a body to the floor.

“Shit, fuck!” Comes just as Mark collides with the ground, splashing into an unrecognizable puddle of liquid. It’s hard to see just exactly what the substance is in the dark, but by the smell of the decay, they can take a wild guess.

Jaebum reaches for the power switch at the same time Youngjae reaches for Mark, white lights flooding their senses. Black spots erupt throughout the captain’s vision from the intrusion, but when his pupils finally dilate, he’s able to take in the scene before him.

He holds back the horrified expression begging to break free when Mark groans from where he sits in a pool of blood, the back of his pants and sleeves covered in the plasma.

“Jesus,” Youngjae nearly let’s the doctor slip from his grasp when he realizes what he’s now bathed in, but rights himself and pulls the man to his feet. “Are you okay Mark?”

The physician laughs sarcastically, wiping as much blood off his uniform as possible before facing the other two. “Yeah, I’m great, Youngjae. Just like the person whose blood I’m covered in.”

Youngjae refrains from saying anything else, not wanting to get on the doctor’s bad side. Falling into someone’s blood isn’t something to be cheery about after all.

Mark doesn’t know what to do with his painted hands, keeping them outstretched in front of his body while he observes the skid of blood beneath his feet. “Whoever’s blood this is, they’ve lost way too much to have survived. And just by the smell of it, it’s already started to oxidize, which means it’s been here for a while. I’d say a couple days.” The puddle of crimson stretches on past where Mark had slipped, a trail marking its path by the faded streaks and imprint of large boots, like the person had been dragged across the linoleum.

At the revelation, Jaebum understands that they don’t just have an abandoned vessel on their hands, but a possible murder as well. Whoever’s blood this belonged to was purposefully hauled to the bridge, and without  doubt he knows that if they follow the slick path, the mystery of the deserted ship will be solved.

In the end they put on the brave faces and regain composure of their weapons, entering the bridge with a new fear of what to expect.

The sight of the room, to say the least, is horrendous. Never in his wildest dreams did Jaebum think he’d be walking straight into something out of a horror movie. Bodies of the ship’s crew are strewn around the area haphazardly, butchered liked nothing he’s ever seen before. A man lays across the control booth with a deep gash in his back, and upon further investigation, they realize his spine has been removed. A young boy -no older than Yugyeom or Bambam- hangs over his chair with a slit in his throat. A blond female member is found by a window, and the rest of her is found across the room. Blood splashes across the floors and against the walls, reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock piece that someone was too much of a hurry in to finish.

Youngjae gasps over his covered mouth as Mark turns away from the horrific sight. (Even though he’s a doctor he’s still human, and is still shocked by the gruesome image before him). Jaebum swallows down the bile that threatens to spill from his throat, chest constricting with fear and heartbreak from the unnecessarily brutal murder of these people.

Mark, while still shaken up a bit, performs his job unperturbed like he was meant to do. Even in the untimely conditions, the doctor checks each body for any sign of life and uses the equipment he has on hand to take down any notes regarding the victims. The cause of death is already obvious, but the questions now are who and why.

These deaths are as gruesome as they come; Jaebum tries but fails not to picture the younger boy scared beyond belief in his last seconds, or the woman writhing on the floor as they butchered her body into pieces. They could have been his crew -that boy could have been Yugyeom, fresh out of the academy and ready to start the rest of his life, and that girl could have been Nayeon or Mina, young and full of fruitful hope of a better world.

He doesn’t dwell on the thought any longer, crouching down to where Mark has moved to inspect the body (or half of the body) of the girl, Youngjae quietly standing behind at a good distance. “What kind of sick person could have done this Mark?”

The doctor hums from where his flashlight traces over the edges of the wound. What he says makes the air fall out of Jaebum’s lungs. “I don’t think this was a person.”

He looks to his friend in confusion. “What do you mean you don’t think this was a person?”

Mark seems to reevaluate the words in his head, looking down at the victim. Her eyes are still opened -something they were too preoccupied with to notice- so he lightly shuts her lids, giving her a last shred of decency. “I don’t mean it’s not a ‘person’. What I meant was it’s not a human.”

“How do you know?”

“Because the weapons that killed these people aren’t human weapons,” he lifts a section of the skin that belonged to the victim’s abdomen. “Look, the incision on her and on the other two aren’t straight across. It kind of dips in at the center,” Mark moves his hand in a u-shape to further show what he’s talking about. “It would have to have come from a crescent-shaped blade, and there is only one species in this galaxy that uses those types of weapons.”

Jaebum nearly gasps at the recognition. He’s right, only one humanoid species has ever used those medieval defenses: Klingons.

“But why would klingons murder humans? We have Starfleet-mandated treaties that stop both sides from confrontation, and this isn’t even in their territory.” Starfleet had enacted several treaties after near total war with the Klingon species years ago, and the two species have kept their distances since then. Klingons stick to their space, humans remain within theirs. “Even then, klingons aren’t cruel enough to do this.”

The doctor makes a face that would bet on the opposite. “They aren’t cruel enough to do this unless they have to. If they need something, they’ll do whatever it takes to get it. Jaebum, this is an act of war.”

The two friends share a look of mortified realization, unknowing of what this will mean for the rest of Starfleet as well as human-kind. If there’s one thing they can’t afford, it’s to go back into war with the klingons.

“Are we done yet?” Youngjae voices from the door, like he’s ready to escape if need be. His pale face looks haunted and on the midst of an emotional breakdown. “I’m really about to be sick Captain.”

Jaebum, being the ever-so-wonderful captain that he is, takes pity on his lieutenant and agrees. Mostly for Youngjae, but for the benefit of himself and Mark too, so they don’t have to be subject to this tragedy anymore. They still have the rest of the ship to go through to see if there’s any other victims or stolen goods, but it can wait until after they bring it to port. There aren’t any signs of life on the vessel, and they can figure out what to do with the bodies later. Right now all he wants to do is get Mark cleaned up, Youngjae some water, and take a long inhale of fresh air.

“Yeah, we’re done here. Let me just call up to the bridge,” he’s already got the comm up to his mouth, Jackson’s name on the tip of his tongue when a distant grumble outside of the window sends the word back into his throat.

The ship hums and begins rumbling, just like an earthquake had just torn across the essence of space. Jaebum looks to Mark and Youngjae, both glancing through the window to where the airless confines meet the metal exterior of a foreign ship coming to view that had not been there a second ago.

The vessel is extraordinarily bigger than the small cargo ship the three are in, and looks to be about 300 meters or so longer than the Got7. It’s got two long pointed edges that map out the upside down v-shape of the front of the ship, and it’s not until the vessel lets out a ear-piercing screech that Jaebum understands what it is.

“Jackson!” He’s ready to relay his orders to his lieutenant on how to get them away from here as fast as possible, but all he’s met with is static on the other end. “Captain to Got7! Captain to Got7! A Klingon warship has locked in on the ship! Can anyone hear me? Boost all thrusters and get out of there!”

The communications must only be severed on their end, because just as Jaebum advises, his ship’s back thrusters ignite. He waits with heavy shoulders for the ship to set off -not forgetting that the three of them will effectively be stranded there until the figure out a plan- but it never shifts into warp. Like someone’s got a remote aimed at her, the Got7 goes pitch black as her power is ripped out.

“Captain, what’s happening?” Youngjae asks frantically when the ship begins drifting backwards in a pull towards the klingon vessel.

“They must have them in their tractor beam or something,” truthfully, Jaebum doesn’t even know how or why this is happening. These klingons can only be the ones who murdered the crew of the ship they still board, and now they’ve got his ship and his crew in a trap. His mind goes to Jinyoung and the rest of the bridge in horrid confusion because a klingon ship has just popped out of nowhere and is now seemingly taking them hostage.

“Jackson! Jinyoung! Yugyeom, anybody! If you can hear me, get Starfleet on the line right now before-”

White wisps begin to swirl around his hands and arms, slowly crawling up his face until his vision becomes white. The last thing the captain sees is the same thing happening to Mark and Youngjae, recognizing that they are being beamed from their position.

 

 

7:41 pm

The bridge of the klingon ship is a lot larger than their’s, Jaebum notes, vividly aware of the barrel of his own weapon slotted against the back of his skull. If only he hadn’t let them get the drop on him, it would be the other way around, with this klingon warrior on his knees instead.

He should have know that it was the klingons beaming them aboard their warship instead of his crew. They’ve disabled all power and abilities to the Got7 with new technologies they must have been working on over the past couple of years, which also includes a stealthy cloaking capability, originally only known to Romulan crafts.

When they had arrived on the vessel, Mark, Youngjae and him were immediately seized and brought to the bridge, where they were reunited with the rest of their remaining crew (which was only a dozen or so since the rest were on break).

_“We received your messages, Captain,. In case you were wondering,” Jinyoung had said with his hands on his head in surrender. “Unfortunately we did not acquire enough time to make an escape.”_

The vulcan’s talking had earned him a backhand to the face, which has shut him up for now even with the murderous look in his eyes. He just continues to stare on with the rest of the dozen crew members from where they’re sitting cross-legged, hands tied in front of them.

The klingon captain of this warbird, whose sagittal crest protrudes farther than that of the others, continues to speak to Youngjae in klingon dialect, the only other person who is allowed to open his mouth.

“nuqDaq 'oH HoD!?” He cries again in his gravelly voice, something Jaebum recognizes as the third time he’s uttered that phrase. “ghu'vam 'oHbe' HIp HoD!”

“He keeps asking where the captain is,” Youngjae informs from where he stands off to the side. That’s the whole reason Jaebum’s ended up on his knees in the first place. The klingon captain had asked for their captain, and Jaebum had admirably stepped forward, even though doing so would end with his demise. They had proceeded to hit him over the back of the head and throw him to the floor. “He doesn’t believe you’re the captain because you’re not in uniform.”

Jaebum can’t help but roll his eyes, even if he’s at the mercy of a klingon tribe with blood on their hands and want for more. “Tell them I’m not in uniform then, Lieutenant.”

Youngjae is oddly calmer than he had been when they were on the cargo ship, having to step into a leading position as the only one to communicate between the two species. “HoD ghotvam'e'.”

The klingon captain seems to consider this for a moment when he lowers the weapon, but obviously what Youngjae said didn’t pass the test. He aims the phaser back to Jaebum, who wishes there was an opportunity for his intolerant angsty young adult personna to come back so he could get through this without actually fearing for his life.

“10 cha'DIch HoD qem jIHvaD Daghaj joq ghaH jIH HoH!” The captain speaks complete gibberish to everyone except Youngjae, whose eyes now widen frantically.

“loS loS loS!” The lieutenant yells in rapid fire. _Wait wait wait!._ “He says he wants the real captain in ten seconds or he’s going to kill Jaebum! HoD ghotvam'e'!” _This is the real captain!_

The pleads and Youngjae’s translations do nothing to appease the captain’s mind, and Jaebum hears the faint click of the phaser go from stun to _kill_.

“Wa'maH” _Ten._

“Youngjae…”

“Hut” _Nine._

 _“_ NuqneH!” _Please._

“Chorgh” _Eight._

“YOUNGJAE...”

“Soch” _Seven._

“DO SOMETHING!”

“Jav” _Six._

“LOS!”

“Vagh” _Five._

Jaebum says the only thing that comes to his mind, “I AM THE CAPTAIN YOU DICKS!”

“LoS. Wej,” _Four. Three._

This is it. Jaebum only has two seconds left of his life and he’s going to die aboard an enemy ship with freaky aliens, and he’ll never get to do any of the things on his bucket list like skydive or eat twenty churros in under three minutes at a state fair.

“Cha'” _Two._

At least he can say he was a great acting captain. He hopes the crew will be able to get out of this.

“Wa-”

“STOP, STOP!” The familiar voice rings out across the bridge. Jaebum had closed his eyes and braced for impact, but even then he’d recognize that voice anywhere. He faintly registers the phaser tilting away from his head, and snaps up to meet Jinyoung’s eyes questionably as he stands up. His eyes are glossy, but not noticeable to anyone but him, and there’s a certain sneer to his words as he looks down at him. He points to himself as best as he can with the confines around his wrists. “I am the captain. Lieutenant, tell him I am the captain.”

“But Commander…”

Jinyoung looks to be in no place to argue, head turning to prompt their translator on. “Lieutenant, tell him I am the captain.” He says it with such fire on his tongue that Jaebum can feel the flames. What does Jinyoung think he’s doing? Protecting him? Protecting the crew? The only thing it’s going to do is kill him; if they didn’t believe Jaebum, the actual captain, was the captain, why would they be convinced Jinyoung is?

He watches in disbelief as this man, who he considered his best friend, was willing to risk his entire life -and the extinction of his kind- to protect him and the rest of their crew.

He means to voice this to Jinyoung, but Youngjae says something else in klingon, causing the captain to smirk and respond similarly. The next thing he knows, he’s getting a solid blow to the right side of his face, sending him crashing to the floor. It temporarily incapacitates him long enough for another klingon crew member to drag him to where the rest of his members are waiting silently for their fates. He lands roughly in Yugyeom’s lap, the taste of blood heavy in his mouth as he pushes himself up into a sitting position.

He’s beyond angry now, ready to take down this entire fleet if he has too. “What did he say before he hit me?” He directs towards Youngjae.

“He said he knew he’d give in. The captain will always protect his crew.”

The ironic thing is he already tried to do that, but they didn’t believe him. Jaebum wipes a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth, glancing back up to where Jinyoung holds his stance as the klingon captain regards him with curious eyes. If they so much as touch a single hair on his friend’s stupid little heroic head, he’s gonna shove that phaser up somewhere phasers should not go. “Jinyoung, I swear if you die because of this, I’m gonna kill you.”

The commander chooses not to comment because if he does he might get another jab to the face, but Jaebum can almost hear the “Illogical, Captain. As I’d already be dead,” he knows the vulcan wants to say.

But looking at Jinyoung now, for once Jaebum doesn’t know what’s going on in his head. They’re so in sync now that it just comes naturally. But the open book of before is now closed with deliberateness, and on the other end it’s hard to know what the klingons want with the captain of a Starfleet ship. 

The captain says something else that leaves everyone but Youngjae scratching their heads, eyes focused on Jinyoung’s and never wavering.

“He wants your cooperation, and he won’t harm the crew,” the dirty blond translates.

Jinyoung nods. “Of course.” Youngjae relays the message, much to the happiness of the captain.

“QIn ngeH 'ejyo'. Pagh Hegh je nI' law' HeQ SoH.”

It only takes Youngjae a few seconds to translate the sentence. “He wants you to send a message back to Starfleet. No one will die if you do.”

Jaebum can see the gears turning mechanically in his friend’s head, Jinyoung’s stoic personality re-emerging once again as he nods in compliance with the klingons. “Then shall we begin?”

It always happens when Jinyoung is placed in a position of power, as he hides every trace of emotion to not let the enemy use it as a weakness. Jaebum never fails to be impressed, but he knows he can’t let this go on any longer. The crew’s first plan of action in a dangerous situation is to always protect the captain, but watching Jinyoung stand in his place, he feels a foreign sensation twist in his gut. He has to think of a plan of action quick; he can’t lose Jinyoung.

 

 

7:13 pm

 

The past week he’s had off on vacation, Bambam is immensely grateful for. It gave him time to visit his family back on earth in Thailand, and he was able to help out around their ship repair shop with his parents. It’s how he came to be a near prodigy of an engineer in the first place; long hot summers spent with his dad working on low-income ships for people from all over the globe, and flying their own small carriers they had revamped for their family.

He’s only gotten to see them a few times in the past couple of years due to him moving out to California for Starfleet, and it’s likely this will be the last time he visits for a good long while. He misses his parents and sister all the time, but there’s also a hole in his heart that only grows larger every day he’s away from the Got7. He longs to tighten her valves and sweep through her internal composition, hearing the ringing of her engines. He also misses his friends -Youngjae, the captain, Yugyeom- but especially Yugyeom. When the two are together it’s like only a force of nature can pull them apart.

Yugyeom has become his greatest friend during the past months in space, even if they barely talked to each other during their cadet years. As partners in crime and the youngest aboard the ship, they’ve become known for getting into mischief (all harmless of course), and it’s nice to have someone else his age to talk to.

Which is why he finds himself zipping alone in his pod through space, course set for the ship early before he’s scheduled to be back.

He found her coordinates easily enough, but when he plugged them in he tilted his head when it showed the ship wasn’t moving. It wouldn’t be that odd if they were at a port or by a planet, but his map was showing that they were in the middle of an empty part of space. He’d just have to figure out why when he reached them.

Bambam pulls up the scanner when his map reads that he’s only a few minutes away, eyebrows squinting when two other objects other than the Got7 appear before him. One is slightly smaller like a small cruiser, but the other is significantly larger, and looks to be some sort of army vessel -one that’s unrecognizable to him until he drifts closer.

Luckily for all his years working on ships and studying the different models, he’s able to identify the larger the moment his pod gets at the right distance. He gasps when the image of the klingon warship pops into his brain, and does the only thing he can do at the time: apply the brakes.

His ship is oddly close to the klingon’s and checking the scanners, Bambam’s computer informs him that there are no life forms aboard the Got7 where it rests. _Not Good._ Either the ship has a new cloaking device that no one was kind enough to tell him about, or the captain and the crew have been taken off. He goes with the latter.

He sets his scanner on the longer ship, confirming his suspicions when it shows the heat signatures of a great number of people on the bridge. A few bodies are slightly warmer than the others, revealing the number of klingons to humans. Now, there are only two scenarios he can think of that have actually happened. Scenario 1: the klingons invited them all over for tea and they’re having a grand old party, or Scenario 2: the klingons have taken the crew hostage. Klingons aren’t known to drink tea, so with the crew held captive, that only means someone has to rescue them before they are murdered. And since Bambam is the only one here, that means it has to be him, somehow.

“Great! This is just what I wanted to be welcomed back to,” the man donning his signature red engineering uniform complains, navigating the computer aboard his pod. He types in the information to do a full scan of the Got7. “All I wanted to do was play Tongo tonight with Yugyeom but of course the universe hates Bambam and I have to save the day!”

The screen before him beeps. _“Warp functions: Disabled. Transport functions: Disabled. Communications: Disabled.”_

He lets out a string of curses in Thai. “Is there anything that isn’t disabled?!”

_“Air conditioning fully operational.”_

His hands go up in exasperation.

Leaning back in his seat, Bambam replays the new information in his head. The klingons have disabled their communications and transport services, which leaves them stranded until it’s fixed. If he’s to get the rest of the crew to safety he’s got to go in and reverse whatever they did. Which means beaming aboard the klingon war cruiser and manually switching the controls. Which means he’ll be in imminent danger until he can find the controls. Great.

Luckily enough, the klingons aren’t made aware of his presence yet as he watches their ship, and it will be a walk in the park to beam inside. But, the hard part comes with after that as he’ll have to get around the ship without being seen.

There’s a plan already formulating in his head on just how he’s going to accomplish this, but he scraps it immediately when five small ships -about the size of his pod- zooms past him en route to the klingon carrier.

Vaguely in the distance there’s a port opening in the lower flank of the ship, and if he plays his cards right, Bambam might be able to sneak in with the rest of them, which will cause less of a distraction than just beaming aboard. At least this way he’ll look like he blends in.

Not sparing a single moment, Bambam dims his windows in case anyone of them happens to look over at him, and takes off in their direction. He follows slowly behind the other ships, finally entering the larger ship’s hangar and lowering his pod off to the side away from the others.

Now comes the hard part, as he’ll have to find his way around without anybody seeing him. He pulls out his hand-sized computer and pulls the information he’s gathered about the warbird and programs it in. There’s a readout of the ship and a map that tells him exactly where to go. Inside every ship ever built, there’s a primary core -which differs from the warp core- with wires and electricity that connect to every single part of the ship. It’s kind of like a back up generator per say, incase of an emergency or when a ship’s controls are tampered with. From there, he’ll be able to connect to the transportation controls and hopefully get them up and running.

He’ll just have to find it first that is, as it’s nestled right in the interior, not accessible by personnel or by just walking through the ship. If he’s going to do this, he’s taking a trip through the ventilation systems.

“I’m glad that nothing is ever straightforward,” he bleached-blond groans.

When the klingons leave their ships and exit the hangar, Bambam deems the coast clear. He’s got his phaser in the other hand just for protection, and hops silently out of his seat. The computer screen displays a blue sonar image of the outline of the ship, the primary core a stark white in contrast. He’ll have to travel a bit of ways to find it, and he hopes by the time he does it won’t be too late.

Checking around once more, Bambam takes a deep breath and emerges from behind his pod, making a make dash for the nearest exit. He finds an empty hallway and breathes a sigh of relief, tracing through the metal interior.

The map is telling him to make a right turn and he’ll be at the closest vent, so he proceeds, eyes never wavering from the corridors.

“Aish,” the Thailand native whispers in defeat when the stumbles upon the vent -the very small vent which looks like it could only fit a child. Bambam thinks he’s lucky he’s only grown once in the past ten years.

He gets the lid off and slips in without anyone noticing, relying on the small computer to point him in the right direction.

 _“Yes Bambam, you’ll have so much fun here at Starfleet,”_ he mocks one of his former recruiters to the program, remembering how happy she seemed to be. _“You’ll love coming to work everyday.”_

The slide is harsh, but he follows the map for a few minutes taking a few turns, climbing up steep edges, and descending through the inner working of the mechanical haul. He finds the entrance that leads to the core faster than he expected, exiting the tight vent and into the area. It’s cramped and he has to duck a little to stop from hitting his head, but he’s able to situate himself comfortably enough to finish the job.

Before him is a wide core of wires and cables, stretching from floor to ceiling and through other gaps in the wall. All he has to do now is figure out the right wires and use his computer to override the system.

From overseeing the primary core on the Got7, he knows that wires controlling the ships transportation are usually the thickest. Once he finds the correct one, he syncs it to the cable from his computer, instantly diving into the information from the ship. He manually overrides the controls to shut off the klingon’s tractor beam, which ceases their control over them. Next comes the signal that is used to block the warp functions, communications, and beaming. The engineer easily disables it, wiping the sweat forming at his brow from the thick air in the room.

For a good measure, he goes in and turns off their warp capabilities, just incase they try to follow them when they take off. He’s about to hit the controls to teleport the crew back onto the Got7, when another idea pops into his head.

It would be quite a laugh if he surprised the klingons before, informing them of their demise before it actually happens. It would also allow the crew in on his plan so they aren’t blindsided, and give them a chance to gather themselves.

Piecing together what he’s going to say, he finds the cord that hooks up to the ship’s intercom, and pulls out the computer’s little mic.

 

 

With a gun aimed to the front of his chest, Jinyoung finishes delivering his message to Starfleet headquarters. Admiral Jeon, the president of the organization, was shocked to say the least when Jinyoung appeared before her with a klingon holding onto the threads of his life, claiming that he was the captain of the Got7.

But, what they’ve come to find out from Youngjae’s translating is that there’s apparently a problem with the human-klingon treaty. When Starfleet allocated the klingons to their share of space territory, they did not account for how long it would be before they started running out of resources. It was their plan to kidnap a Starfleet vessel and threaten to kill their captain if Starfleet did not amend the treaty. The cargo ship from before turned out to just be a mistake, as they had assumed it was a Starfleet cruiser and bombarded them. When they realized it was only a small smuggler ship, the klingons slaughtered the crew, and used them as bait for the next ship to come.

It makes Jaebum sick just thinking about it; precious lives wasted in search of prosperity. They could have just contacted Starfleet and asked them for help, not resort to the threat of another war.

The admiral was understanding and promised the klingon captain they will be in touch in the future as long as he didn’t harm the crew, then he roughly hung up in her face, obviously done with the conversation.

Youngjae turns to the captain with a serious expression. “DubelmoHchugh maHvaD ghu'vam ghoS”.  _Please let us go._

The humanoid chuckles loudly; Jaebum doesn’t like the sound of that at all. In English, low and broken, he gestures to the rest of the crew and says, “You. Not. Leave. Ship.” 

There are few stunned gaps from around him and oh shit, that means it’s time for him to put some form of plan into action. As captain he’s not about to let these klingons keep them held captive, and he was crazy to otherwise.

There’s only four klingons on the deck, including the captain. One’s standing in front of where he sits, garding the crew with a phaser in one hand and medieval sword in the other. If he plays his cards right, he might be able to snag the weapon and incapacitate the rest for now, but he would have to be quick about it. Then that would leave the captain of course, but Jinyoung would have to be out of the way before he could fire.

Jaebum decides now’s the best time and turns to relay the plan to Jackson and Mark, but a deafening screech drifts through the air instead. It’s the same sound as when you hold a microphone to close to your body, causing the entirety of the bridge to look up in suddence.

Then ever so boldly, a familiar voice cascades down the intercom and fills the room. _“Hello is this thing on?”_ It takes a second to recognize the voice, considering the man is supposed to be on earth hundreds of light years away.

_“Attention! Attention!”_

Yugyeom nearly creams his pants, face lighting up in both confusion and joy, “Bambam?!”

 _“This is your cruise director Double B speaking! We’re glad you’ve enjoyed the ride so far, but we’ve reached our final destination.”_ There’s so much going on that Jaebum doesn’t have enough time to process this. Where did Bambam even come from, and more specifically where is he now and how is he talking to them?

_“Please keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times. Thank you for flying Air Bambam.”_

With the distraction of the voice booming through the speakers, Jaebum takes this as his opportunity to get the jump on their captors. The klingon officer in front of them has his head pointed towards the ceiling, giving Jaebum no problem when he rips the phaser out of his hand and punches him in the face.

Klingons are built larger and tougher, but once Jaebum strikes him he stumbles back, and he’s able to fire two shots directly at the humanoid’s chest. It leaves him stunned, which that won’t last long, as klingons are able to take quite a beating before reaching their limits. But a good thing about klingon anatomy is that it’s very similar to a human’s, and what damages a human, will more than likely damage a klingon.

With lightning fast speed and precision, Jaebum aims his phaser at the other two klingons who have noticed the confrontation, striking them both down in a couple of shots. He then sets his sights on the captain, who holds Jinyoung even closer to his chest with his own gun trained on the vulcan.

“Put the gun down and let him go,” is all he can think to say, disregarding the fact that the captain cannot understand him fully. He looks to his first officer, who’s got a glint in his eye that Jaebum can’t read.

The klingon captain begins yelling something else in his native tongue, and Jaebum doesn’t even have time to blink as the next series of events unfold.

Out of nowhere, Jinyoung grabs the gun pointed at his chest with his hands in restraint. He digs the barrel farther into his body, a few inches below his right shoulder, and pulls the trigger. It all seems to happen in slow motion when the commander falls to the ground, followed by the klingon to his side. With his heart lodged in his throat, Jaebum doesn’t even realize he’s screaming until he’s crouching next to Jinyoung’s battered form.

“Shit Jinyoung! Shit!” The vulcan’s eyes are wide open but there’s green blood oozing from the wound, and Jinyoung scrunches his face in pain. In an instant Mark is rushing over to apply pressure to the laceration. Jaebum looks to the captain and back to Jinyoung, noting the wound entrances of both bodies, in the exact same place. He investigates the hole and checks the captain’s pulse, shredding his cloak of fear when none comes back. “Goddammit Jinyoung why did you do that?!” Jinyoung only groans woefully in response, shutting his eyes to distract himself from the pain. “I told you if you died I would kill you, so you better not die!”

An icy shiver rolls down his back and burning tears prickle the corners of his eyes just thinking about it. He’s busy worrying about his friend so much that he forgets where they are for a moment, snapping to it when Jackson gets his attention.

“Captain, what do we do now?”

There’s still a threat of klingon bombardment seeing as how they’re still currently on the bridge, and Bambam’s alerted the rest of the ship to something being up. It won’t be before long until more crew members find them with three stunned crewmen and a dead captain, which will not be good. He can just imagine the torture they’d go through -on second thought, no. He’s not going to imagine that because he needs to get them out of here fast.

“Yugyeom! Lock the door!” He demands from the officer closest to the door, who does what he instructs without another glance. Jaebum pulls his personal communicator out from his pocket, and connects to Bambam’s instantly, hoping the younger will be able to tell him where he is and what he’s doing.

“Bambam where are you?”

He picks up immediately. _“I’m inside the ship! Don’t worry JB, I’ll get us all out of here quickly. It’s taking longer than I expected.”_

“What’s taking longer than you expe-?” There’s no time to finish the burning question when the recognizable swirling white lines surround his entire body, and the beaming platform comes into view as his knees collide with the tiled floors of the Got7.

 

 

As soon as they landed, Jackson and Yugyeom make a mad dash for the deck and spin them into lightspeed before the klingons could stop them again. Jinyoung is rushed to the medical wing by Mark, looking paler by the second. Jaebum wants to stay by his side in case he needs someone or in the chance that something goes wrong, but knows he has a duty to the rest of the ship and can’t play favorites.

Bambam ends up finding him first, engulfed into a bone-crushing hug by the captain before he can say anything. The officer explains how he had come back from his trip early and found their ship taken hostage, and had managed to sneak aboard the klingon vessel to re enable the ship’s affected properties.

Bambam opens his mouth to say more, but a loud high-pitched, “BAMBAM!!!” causes him to turn around. The large body of Yugyeom slams into him, knocking Bambam off balance, sending the pair crashing to the floor in a fit of giggles.

Jaebum takes that as his cue to leave, planning on checking out the functions of the ship before he heads down to Jinyoung. When he reaches the bridge Jackson informs him that everything is working fine, but he must notice the concerned look on his face even after the good news.

“Hey, Jaebum,” turning to the captain, the helmsman softens his voice, like when trying to calm down a child. “He’s going to be alright. Our Jinyoungie is strong you know.”

Jaebum nods with his lips pulled together, hoping he’s right. He wonders if it’s that obvious that he’s worried if Jackson can tell by just a look on his face. He tries to collect himself as best as possible, grateful for the comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah I know,” he concedes, understanding that he’s not the only one affected by this. Jackson’s been Jinyoung’s friend for so much longer than he has, knowing the lieutenant would do anything for him, even take a bullet. He feels selfish, but can’t help it when it comes to his first officer. “I’m gonna go check on them, you watch the bridge.”

Jackson nods, “You got it, Cap. If Jinyoung’s awake tell him the next time he does something like that I’ll kick his ass.”

The captain laughs, already feeling the weight on his chest lift. Man, what would he do without Jackson Wang? He doesn’t ponder that thought any further, giving a pat to the man’s back and walking in the direction of the hospital.

The procedure only takes around an hour, Jaebum waiting patiently outside the doors for Mark to inform him of Jinyoung’s condition.

Everything’s fine and Jinyoung pulled through okay with minimal damage to his body. Even though he shot himself through the chest which would cause life-threatening effects for a human, his vulcan physiology allowed for him to come out barely unscathed. There was some scarring to his tissues, and he lost about a pint of blood, but the shot didn’t hit anything important. Mark was able to patch it up without having to go into any surgery, and Jinyoung is currently resting in the bay.

“You can see him, just don’t let him move around so much,” Mark informs, Jaebum entering the room before he can finish his sentence.

As soon as he pushes the door open, Jinyoung’s small form turns towards the commotion. The color is slowly coming back to his cheeks, but his nose scrunches up when he pushes his body to a sitting position. The vulcan doesn’t smile, but the way his eyes widen at the sight of Jaebum, there’s no doubt he’s happy to see him.

A wave of comfort hits the captain as his eyes wash over his friend, immensely thankful that this was nothing too serious. He can’t help but smile, teeth and all. Jinyoung must notice the tension elevating off his shoulders, as he beckons him closer, patting the patient’s bed. “You seem very pleased, Captain.”

Jaebum wastes no time strutting over, a little faster than he’ll admit to. Before he knows what he’s doing, he’s got his arms around Jinyoung’s bare back, tugging him to his chest. His skin is hot to the touch; Jinyoung hesitates a moment, but then slides his left arm over the lower part of his back. Jaebum sighs contently while his heart does somersaults, a new sensation giving goosebumps an opportunity to develop on his forearms. He closes his eyes and squeezes back gently, noting that this is the first time they’ve ever embraced each other with reciprocation from both sides. But it must not have been gentle enough, as Jinyoung squeaks in pain, the captain remembering only now that the vulcan’s just been injured badly.

“I am _pleased_ , you idiot! You could have killed yourself!” He pushes Jinyoung to arms length, but holds onto his biceps, not wanting to let go just yet. He takes the time to trace over the damage. Even though it’s covered in a large bandage, it extends from the right side of his chest over his shoulders and to the exit wound on his back. It must have hurt like a bitch, as Jaebum can remember from when he was shot in the stomach. It’s a feeling he’d rather not dwell on, but at least his didn’t go all the way through, like Jinyoung’s had.

Jinyoung searches his eyes, glinting under the white lights of the room. “That would not have happened, I assure you. It didn’t hit anything directly, if you remember vulcan anatomy is much different. If I were a human, I would have directly shot my heart. But seeing as _my_ heart is located where your liver is, I was perfectly safe.”

“Perfectly safe? You shot yourself Jinyoung!”

He looks down at the wound, like he’s trying to reaffirm it. “Yes, that was a very _painful_ side effect. But it took down the klingon captain, did it not?”

“It did, but…” Jaebum tries to think of the words he wants to express. How if anything had happened to him, Jaebum would go crazy. He’s already worried from just this predicament alone. “Do you not think about anyone else? You’re not the only one it affects, Jinyoung. You shouldn’t have stepped in my place like that. If they had killed you… what would we do? What would I do?”

Jinyoung’s brows pinch together, lips curving up in irritation. “ _‘Not think about anyone else?’_ ” He scoffs, letting Jaebum’s hands fall from his body. “I did that for you! For your life and your ship! Don’t you understand? If they had killed you, what would _I_ do?”

The captain feels a bit of anger rise in his chest at Jinyoung evading the question. Does he still not get it? Does he not see how special he is to him, a friendship that could never be explained by words? Through everything they’ve been through together -hating each other for so long, bonding over their shared leader positions, taking care of each other in times of need- they’ve proven to be the best partners in the galaxy. Only a single question leaves his mouth, emanating all the words he wants to say and more, filled with a heaviness that startles them both.

“Why?”

It’s a single word with no contextual meaning outside of this conversation, but breaks Jinyoung’s visage of impassiveness. He regards Jaebum for a moment before looking down. His eyes inspect his hands as he searches for the next thing to say. When he lifts his brown eyes back up, they’re full of all forms of human emotion, raw and unblemished.

“Is your human skull really that thick?” He asks incredulously, using Jaebum’s own words against him. “Because you are irreplaceable, Im Jaebum. And I wish not to command a ship where you are not captain,” his voice is so full of natural concern and meaning that Jaebum flinches outwardly. Jinyoung’s eyes are unmoving, boring into his with fire as he slides his fingers over his wrist. “Because you are my friend.”

 

 

_“Captain’s log: Stardate 2050.111. After stumbling aboard an abandoned cargo ship, Dr. Tuan, Lieutenant Choi and I discovered the murdered crew. The three of us, plus the remaining crew members on the Got7 were then taken hostage by the culprits -a klingon warship. After discovering their plans to create a new treaty with Starfleet, Ensign Bhuwakul bravely infiltrated their ship and disabled their transport operation, and got us to safety. Commander Park was injured along the way, but is currently recovering in the comfort of his room for the time being. As it remains, there’s to be a meeting with the Klingon leaders in the near future to resolve issues of the klingon-human treaty. I will represent the Got7, as the incident of our kidnapping will not go unnoticed.”_

           

 

 


	5. Ep. 4: Mirror Mirror

Stardate 2050.200

 

One thing Jaebum has learned about klingons is that they are very difficult to negotiate with. That is, if the solution to a problem doesn’t benefit them enough, they tend to lash out. That’s why at the first meeting to discuss a redraft of the Starfleet-Klingon treaty, Jaebum ended up with a slash to the face from a klingon with particularly untrimmed nails. 

The negotiations haven’t gone as smoothly as the Starfleet admirals had hoped, as they go into their third round of meetings for an amendment. Jaebum’s been requested to sit in on the meetings each time, one in a trial prosecuting the group of klingon criminals who breached the contract by attacking their ship and murdering several others, and two to bring insight with several other Starfleet captains to the situation.

This last meeting will finally solve the klingon’s problems -rightfully so, as it’s taken nearly one hundred days and a few drops of blood- and the new treaty will be drafted. The main dilemma the klingons wanted to address was the fact that Starfleet had failed to follow up on their promises of relocating the species to new grounds after a few years. While it was no excuse to murder innocent people, Jaebum understood why they were upset. While he enjoys being in the Starfleet program, he’s not above recognizing when it has it’s faults.

Luckily, they’ve assigned the klingon species more land on planets just outside of klingon territory, which will expand their regions, while keeping them happy. Or, happier.

After the meeting is over, Jaebum packs up his things -namely himself- and bids adieu to the remaining Starfleet captains and admirals. He’s a little disappointed that Admiral Park isn’t in attendance; he would have liked to update him on everything that’s happened to the Got7 so far. That is, if he isn’t listening to his logs. The admiral is still recovering from his accident, and has finally made it into rehabilitation with hopes of walking soon.

He makes his way through the Starfleet building down to the transport platform, ready for the operator to teleport him back to his ship. There’s nothing he’s missed more in the past four days than the bustle of his crew and the endless antics they bring that make his life more enjoyable. He left Jinyoung in charge as his second in command, and is missing their monotone conversations of creations and the universe. He misses bossing the crew around together, but mostly, he misses the company of the other man. He doesn’t question his presence when they’re together, but now that Jinyoung’s not by his side -even if it’s only for a few days- Jaebum feels almost... incomplete, in a way? Something he’s never really felt before when being away from a person, not even his mother. 

He doesn’t know what that means exactly, but has no time to pay it anymore attention as he steps up to the platform. Within seconds the silver walls of the Starfleet center disappear, and he materializes at the beaming platform on the Got7. 

Weirdly enough, the trip feels different this time around. A tingle runs down his spine, a side effect he’s not used to when traveling intergalactically. 

 It’s not significant enough for him to worry, so he forgets about it immediately as he steps from the pad. Jae is waiting for him when he arrives, as he mans his position at the controls.

“Have a good trip, Commander?” The smaller man asks, flashing a dazzling smile. 

Jaebum pauses, puzzled. Did he just call him ‘commander’? He thinks it must have just been a slip of the tongue, or he heard wrong.  “Uhh… Yeah, it was okay. We worked everything out.”

Jae continues to smile, and Jaebum feels the need to go hide in the corner from the sheer… creepiness of it.

 “Good, good! Um also, Park wanted me to tell you he needed to see you as soon as you got back. He said he’ll be in his quarters, something about a ‘captain needs to know only thing’?”

If that’s supposed to mean anything to Jaebum, he’s at a loss. There’s nothing he has to discuss with Jinyoung on a need-to-know basis, was there? Unless he forgot about it, which… did he? Either way, he doesn’t want to look incompetent as a captain in front of one of his crew members, so he pretends to remember what he’s talking about.

“Oh. Oh, yes,” he stutters. “Thanks for telling me, Jae.”

Luckily, Jae doesn’t catch on to his misstep. “You’re welcome, Commander. Have a good day.”

Jaebum pauses in the entryway. “Captain,” he corrects, wondering if he’s not actually hearing things. He leaves quickly, missing the way Jae’s head tilts to the side.

Along the way to Jinyoung’s room, a few officers here and there greet him cheerfully, but continue to call him ‘commander.’ Jaebum realizes that no, he’s not just imagining these things, and it’s making his blood boil. It must be some sort of ship-wide prank, and he can guess the two _unfunny_ pranksters behind it. He makes a note to himself to kick Yugyeom and Bambam’s asses later about it as he approaches the quarters of his first officer.

He knocks and the door is opened immediately, revealing a disheveled Park Jinyoung. His hair is array and he’s breathing hard, like he’s just gotten done with a workout. The officer pulls him in by the end of his shirt sleeve rather frantically. 

“Thank god you’re finally here,” When the door is closed, the vulcan looks up at him expectantly. 

Jaebum catches the urgency in his voice, worry filling his core. Jinyoung’s never sounded this frantic before. “What’s wrong Jinyoung? Are you okay? What do you need?”

The tone goes from serious to playful when Jinyoung opens his mouth. “You are so polite today Jaebum.” There’s a sultry look in his eye, and Jaebum nearly flinches when the man gets closer. “You usually don’t ask. You want to know what I need?” Suddenly, there are hands on his hips bringing their bodies close. Jinyoung slides their hips together, eliciting a gasp from the older because shit, okay. Jinyoung is _hard._

Jaebum’s brain works on overdrive to comprehend the situation, how he’d come in and in less than a minute of talking Jinyoung’s throwing him sexual advances. What does Jinyoung think he’s doing? And why is he acting like they’ve done this before? He’s looking at Jaebum with such intensity in his eyes that it freezes him to the spot while he tries to process what’s happening. Perhaps it's some sort of vulcan mating season he doesn't know about, and he's on the receiving end of it.

The air gets thicker as Jinyoung gets flirtier, and as he brushes his clothed erection over Jaebum’s crotch, it’s obvious what he wants. The question is why?

“Yah Jinyoung,” he stutters, brain finally communicating with his hands as he uses them to push at his shoulders. “What do you think you’re doing?”

The vulcan tilts his head and smirks, making his stomach bounce. Jinyoung looks him up and down and bites his lip. “Ah, I forgot,” he drops his hands from Jaebum and takes a few steps backwards. He tugs his blue shirt over his head and drops it on the bed. 

Jaebum gulps from the action, mouth suddenly becoming dry. It’s a familiar situation Jaebum hasn’t be involved in for a long time. His eyes roam over Jinyoung’s bare -and toned- body. He’s not as well built as him and Jackson, but he’s not bone-skinny either. He’s perfect, actually. Exactly the type Jaebum tends to go for, now that he’s thinking about it.

It’s when Jinyoung moves his hands to the buckle of his black belt that Jaebum gets his feet to cooperate. He rushes from where he stands in confusion to rip Jinyoung’s hands away before he can take anymore articles of clothing off. 

“Jinyoung, wait!” The commander searches his eyes for a moment perplexed and almost a little hurt, waiting for Jaebum to continue. “Uh… I don’t… I don’t understand what’s going on. Is this a part of the prank? Did Bambam and Yugyeom put you up to this?” It’s the only thing he can think of. It would make sense, along with all the other crew members referring to him as ‘commander’. The youngest officers knew he hasn’t been with anybody in a while and was feeling a bit lonely, but they didn’t have to get Jinyoung to put on this show for him, even if he doesn’t mean it.

But Jinyoung doesn’t look like he’s playing around. There’s sadness evident on his face, which is then replace by confusion. “What are you talking about Im Jaebum? What prank?”

“This! You! Coming onto me like a regular hookup and everyone else calling me ‘commander’! Did Yugyeom put you up to this?” Jinyoung could now rival Jaebum with how out of his mind he looks.

“No one made me do anything, Jaebum, I do this because I want to,” the vulcan snorts, visibly annoyed. “And did you collectively forget that you are in fact a commander? That is what they are supposed to refer to you as.”

“But I’m the captain of this ship,” he’s going crazy. Im Jaebum has lost it, and he’s finally going crazy, like people had called him for years.

“Jaebum, you have always been the first officer of the Got7 Prime,” said human loses all control now and backs himself into the wall, staring down at Jinyoung. What the fuck is a ‘Got7 Prime’, and why is Jinyoung saying this? 

Jaebum pales as his eyes search the room frantically. It’s almost like he’s in some sort of, god he doesn’t even want to say it, but a parallel universe. But that’s impossible. Parallel universes are widely studied but there’s no information on them yet. There’s no way he’s been transported into some weird parallel universe where he’s only a commander and Jinyoung wants to fuck him, right?

“You do not look so good,” Jinyoung notes, applying the back of his hand to his forehead like a mother would to her child. “I better take you to Mark, I think you might have beaming sickness. It would explain why you are on the verge of having a mental breakdown.”

Beaming sickness isn’t something that happens often, but it does happen once in awhile randomly. Since transporting from one place to another alters your body in some ways and can take a toll on you, there are small, rare cases when the process will scramble your brain for a little bit. It can make you lose your memory, or make you hallucinate (but that’s less common). It could explain why he suddenly feels like he’s going to be sick, but there’s something else. Everything feels wrong here.

But whatever. He wants to get out of here, and he wants to get out of here now. He knows Mark won’t be acting any different, and agrees to let Jinyoung take him to the medical wing. He doesn’t refuse as the commander leads him through the ship with a steady grip on his arm. He’s worried, that’s evident from the tight pull of his eyebrows. Jaebum wants to fix it so badly, to see Jinyoung smiling or something. Seeing his friend anything other than indifferent sends an uneasy chill down his spine.

When they reach the room, Mark is in the middle of treating another officer for a broken arm. He looks at the pair and smiles, and that’s when Jaebum notices the hair. That is, the very pastel, very _pink_ hair. Mark didn’t even tell him he was thinking about dying it.

The doctor’s face fades when he catches the sour look Jinyoung’s sporting and the way he holds Jaebum close.

“When did you dye your hair?” Jaebum blurts before anyone else can voice their own. This parallel world theory he’s got going is starting to look more and more plausible.

Mark looks to Jinyoung, then back at Jaebum. “Uhh… like two months ago?”

“What? No you didn-”

“I am very positive that Commander Im has contracted beaming sickness from when he arrived earlier,” Jinyoung interrupts, guiding him towards Mark. “He is showing signs of memory loss and disorientation, so I thought you could evaluate him.”

The pink-haired boy giggles in his signature high-pitched sound, leading him to sit on another bed with a curtain. “Of course. I was wondering when someone would get it. Let me just finish up with Somi here, and I’ll check him out.”

Jinyoung ruffles his hair before placing his hand on the back of Jaebum’s neck. He startles, but the vulcan must not notice. “Alright. I am due in a meeting soon. I trust him in your hands, Doctor.” Before he leaves, he brushes Jaebum’s bangs to the side. It’s so soft and affectionate than it knocks the air out of his lungs. Jaebum had felt Jinyoung’s own erection against his, but for some reason, this action makes his heart rate spike. Bundled with the fact that Jinyoung is looking down at him like he’s the only person in the world.

It’s so full of concern that Jaebum can’t help but tug his hand away from his hair, holding it in his lap. “I’ll be fine, Jinyoungie. Don’t worry about me, okay?”

Jinyoung wants to protest, but he’s got a time constraint. He squeezes Jaebum’s hands before taking off. 

Mark finishes up with Somi and sends her on her way, replacing his gloves when he turns his attention to Jaebum. “So, beaming sickness huh?”

He checks the room to make sure no one else remains. He’s got to get down to the bottom of this fast, and he knows Mark won’t lie to him. “No, Mark. I don’t have beaming sickness. But something’s wrong.”

“What is it?”

He thinks of a way to explain this without sounding like he’s losing it. “I don’t know, that’s the thing! All I know is I came back from Starfleet and Jae was acting really nice. He’s usually all dark and emo but today he wouldn’t stop smiling? And then everyone was calling me commander! Jinyoung said I’m the first officer but I’m not! And Jinyoung! Shit, Jinyoung just tried to fuck me I think? He’s acting like we’re dating, or something.” He pauses to take another breath, ignoring Mark’s eyes incase he’s judging him (which, of course he is; he’s Mark). “And you too. The pink hair? You’ve never had pink hair. I saw you four days ago and you were brunette. I know I sound crazy but please believe me, this isn’t my world. I’m captain of the Got7, not first officer of this Got7 prime.”

It’s a mouthful, but Mark takes in with open ears. “So you think you’re in some sort of… alternate universe?”

It’s sounds crazier when Mark says it. “Yes.”

He nods, taking out his scanner before waving it over Jaebum’s face. The device travels across his nose, past his hair and to the back of his skull, coming back with a negative reading. Mark does something with the device and waves it over him again. He doesn’t look confused, but pensive as he jots something down.

“Well, you don’t have beaming sickness, like Jinyoung thought,” he informs, and Jaebum finally has the courage to look up at him. He reminds him of a pink marshmallow bunny kids would get on Easter. “You’re telling the truth, or at least you believe you are. And so do I.”

Jaebum nearly inhales his saliva. “What?! You do? That easily?”

Mark sighs like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Of course. You’re one of my best friends Jaebum, I know you. You’d never lie to me and let’s face it, you aren’t smart enough to come up with all of this on your own.”

“Why you little…”

Mark dodges the hand Jaebum throws his way, laughing with his full teeth. Even in a supposed parallel universe, Mark is still his number 1. 

“I do believe you, but just explain to me how that's even possible.”

After a few seconds of Jaebum replaying every piece of evidence in his head, he relays it to the doctor, watching him with kind eyes. “I’m not 100% positive this is a parallel universe. But I know for sure this isn’t my reality. I was leaving a meeting about amending the Starfleet-Klingon treaty, and then the next thing I know I’m here and everything is different.”

Mark doesn’t criticize him, for which he’s grateful. “Klingons? That’s interesting. I can tell you that the klingons here were wiped out nearly a hundred years ago.” Jaebum’s jaw drops. A world without kingons? He wants to know how and why, but Mark prompts him to continue. “So, what else is different in your world? You said something about my hair.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles, eyeing the bright cotton candy-like piece. “You’re brunette in the other world, never dyed your hair.”

“But I’m still a doctor right?”

Jaebum laughs again. “Of course, you became chief medical officer.”

“So what? Just our hair is different?”

“No no, just yours,” he informs, having fun from this back and forth conversation. 

When Mark asks the next question, Jaebum nearly chokes on his spit. “So you’ve got auburn hair in the other world too?”

“I’ve got what?!” Hands fly immediately to his hair, trying to pull some of the ends down to see. They don’t reach, but Mark takes pity on him and hands over a small mirror from the stand next to the bed. Sure enough, this Jaebum stares back at him with a chestnut bob with lighter highlights mixed in, a stark difference from his usual black hair. He hadn’t noticed before (due to the fact that he doesn’t have eyes on top of his head), but this now with this, it confirms that Jaebum has been sent to a different world.

“Wow that’s…” The color is new but he has to admit, it looks good. He tosses the mirror back. “No I have black hair, usually. Accept when the kids are running a muck on my ship, then sometimes it’s grey.”

They both laugh, and Jaebum feels the familiarity. For a second, he almost forgets this isn’t his Mark. But he’s glad they get along in more universes than one.

It becomes a fun back and forth between the two, finding out the differences between their worlds. Mark learns how Jaebum came to be captain of the Got7, and how he’d lost his father when he was young. Jaebum learns that Mark and Jackson are not together in this universe, and Jackson is married to a romulan woman stationed on another ship. (He’s disappointed, but Mark doesn’t say anything). He also learns about Jinyoung and their progressing relationship.

“So, they’ve been together for a couple of months now?” It’s still shocking to even think about. “And Jinyoung is the captain?” That’s the other piece of info he’s come to learn, wondering how he didn’t place things together in the first place. When Jae had told him about the captain wanting to see him, he was really talking about Jinyoung. This Jinyoung was awarded captain over him, and leads the ship impressively -so Mark says. 

The pink-haired man nods his head, grinning the whole time. “Yeah. It was kind of inevitable, the whole crew saw it coming. You guys were kind of obvious. Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it.”

Jaebum would hit him if he wasn’t still processing everything. “There's nothing really there,” he says, wondering if he sounds like he's trying to convince Mark or himself more.

It’s so weird to think about, that this Jaebum and Jinyoung are together, because in the other world, they’re nothing more than best friends. Sure the crew will tease them, calling them a ‘married couple’ occasionally, but that’s just part of the territory. Yet, it all makes sense now, why other Jinyoung had come onto him so strongly and had stripped unabashedly in front of him; he thought it was _his_ Jaebum, the guy he’s been with for months now. 

He feels sorry now, that Jinyoung believes he’s the other Jaebum. Those warm touches and loving glances -they aren’t reserved for him- and it wouldn’t be fair to let it continue. They need to catch Jinyoung up on what’s happening if they’re going to figure out a way to reverse this.

“No, no. You can’t tell him. Not yet, anyway,” Mark waves his hands desperately, leaving Jaebum to reel on his next words. “He’s got so much on his plate right now. He’s been stressed cause you’ve been gone all week, and the high-council is being dethroned on Vulcan, so it’s affecting his parents. This is the last thing he needs to worry about.”

It takes Jaebum all of two seconds to comprehend what Mark just said. “Vulcan still exists?”

The doctor freezes. “Of course it does. Why-?” Then it clicks. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” is all he can think to say. “Black Hole, a couple years ago.”

Mark is silent for a while. He looks up, having his mind already made up. “Then you can’t tell him anything. Especially that.”

“Then what do you want me to do Mark? Just act like everything’s okay and I’m him?”

“Please,” he begs. “I’ll try to figure something out to help you. You just have to pretend you’re our Jaebum for a little while. I just don’t want Jinyoung to get hurt, and I know you don’t either.”

This plan is flawed, but he’s right. One of the last things he wants is for Jinyoung to get hurt, any world’s Jinyoung. Reluctantly he agrees, wondering how he’s going to pull this off. “Fine. But what do I do if he tries to… you know.” He means get intimate again. How is he supposed to handle that kind of situation?

“Just make up an excuse, like you’re not feeling well. He already thinks you have beaming sickness, so I doubt he’ll try anything.” Then the smaller man struts over to his computer. “I’m putting you on ‘sick leave’ if anyone asks. That way you can stay in your room and no one will suspect anything.” Wow, Jaebum really underestimates the problem-solving abilities of his friend. He’s impressed, to say the least. “I’ll try to figure something out. I’ll call you if I find anything, okay?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” 

“But Jaebum, I just thought of something,” facing away from the computer, he looks frazzled. “If you’re here, then where’s our Jaebum?”

 

 

With Jinyoung being in charge of the ship while Jaebum is out for four days, there’s new responsibility that now falls onto his shoulders. He has to monitor their surroundings, keep track of the crew, and lead them throughout the daily routine. The tasks are hard, and he’s glad his position rarely requires it. Jaebum makes the captain’s work look easy, and Jinyoung thinks about what it would have been like in a different world, if their positions were switched.

Speaking of the captain, he’s due to return from his meetings any minute now. Things are never the same when Jaebum is gone, and Jinyoung doesn’t feel like he’s the best he can be without the other. He tends not to think about the codependency he feels is developing between the two; it’s highly illogical after all, to depend on someone to an extreme extent. But with Jaebum, it just seems to happen. 

Jinyoung sends for him when he arrives, waiting patiently in the lab fiddling with stem cells he’s collected from some harmless creature they picked up on their last stop. The cells are green with multicolored organelles, a phenomenon that isn’t widely studied.

The blue ribosomes vibrate gently in place, and Jinyoung looks up from the eyepiece of the microscope when the door opens. It shouldn’t make him feel lively when Jaebum enters, but it does. He holds down the smile his face almost makes without his permission, reminding himself to stick to his vulcan ways.

Jaebum walks in rather reserved, like he’s holding himself back. Jinyoung’s vulcan senses picks up on a difference right away, though he can’t place what it is yet. Jaebum doesn’t say anything to him as he sits down, which is odd. Nowadays, the captain is not shy to physical gestures, whatever he’s in the mood for. Jinyoung was sure he would have embraced him right away and waxed on poetically how he missed his ‘best friend,’ and is rightfully disappointed that he does not. He is usually bubbly and outgoing, eager to speak first and the loudest to get people’s attention.

But at the moment, Jaebum does none of those things. He sits at the table across from Jinyoung, twiddling his fingers like he’s waiting for something. It feels awkward for a minute until Jinyoung speaks.

“Is everything alright, Jaebum?”

The human before him nearly matches his own low tone. “Yes of course. Everything went accordingly, just like I had hoped. How is everything here?”

Jaebum sounds so monotonous and professional that it catches him off guard, sitting there with his mouth slightly agape. “Everything is… everything is fine. The kids were not a problem, even though Bambam tried and failed to superglue me to my own chair.” He chuckles at the end, hoping it will lighten whatever funk the captain’s in.

Jaebum doesn’t even so much as blink.

“Are you positive nothing is wrong?” The vulcan asks again, sure now that something’s up. The captain never fails to laugh at some prank Bambam or Yugyeom pull.

Jaebum seems to think the question over again before coming up with an answer, knowing he can’t get anything past a vulcan. “The trip made me feel kind of weird, that’s all. I also keep thinking you’re mad at me, because of what we talked about before I left.”

He doesn’t even remember what they talked about before he left, and it wouldn’t have been something for him to stay mad over. Vulcans are above holding grudges. “Why would I be upset with you?”

“I just thought,” he stumbles over his words, obviously flustered. “I just thought you might have been mad that we were talking about your family. I’m just really sad that I can’t meet them.”

Jinyoung doesn’t recall them talking about his family, but then again he’s been so busy these past few days that he could have misplaced any piece of information. “I do not hate speaking of my family. I think it is important, and necessary. I am also sorry you were not able to meet them. I know they would have been impressed by you, even if you are just a human.”

It must be what finally cracks the shell, because Jaebum smiles, if only a little bit.

“Shut up,” he says bashfully, eyes dropping down. He notices Jinyoung’s hands lying on the table and reaches for one, covering it with his. “I just hate it when we fight.”

The gesture shouldn’t be as intimate as it is, but when Jaebum rubs his thumb across Jinyoung’s skin, goosebumps rise on his arm. The captain is always pushing the boundaries of touch. Something one would see as more romantic, Jaebum sees as normal. This must be one of those things. Flustered, he agrees. “Quarreling is not fun.” 

Jaebum’s eyes shine brighter, and Jinyoung finally feels like the older man is coming to his senses despite his fears. 

“Okay,” he says, standing up from his chair. “I’ll get back to work now.”

He thinks Jaebum will leave after that, but stills when his friend leans over the table and closes his eyes. Jinyoung can’t look away from the sight as Jaebum enters his space and presses his lips to his cheek.

Jinyoung is so in shock that his brain delays communications with the rest of his body, eyes unblinking. Jaebum removes himself before Jinyoung can react, giving a, “See you later,” as he exits the room.

The kiss was nothing more than a light peck, and Jinyoung wonders if this is one of those boundaries the captain is willing to push for friendship. He also wonders why his stomach threatens to empty itself over the counter.

 

 

Jaebum has been banished to his room while Mark works to figure out a plan. Originally, he was going to work to help the doctor out, along with this world’s Bambam. They don’t tell him what’s going on, but he is needed to investigate why their transport technologies had switched the two Jaebums since he’s the most proficient in the inner workings of the ship. This Bambam is totally different than the one back home; from the black hair to the way he misses every opportunity to crack a joke or make fun of everything Jaebum does. 

 _This is definitely a parallel universe,_ he thinks. _In what kind of world is Bambam not loud and obnoxious?_

Though he wants to stay and interact more with the crew of this universe to see the differences, Mark ordered him to stay out of sight after Bambam kept asking questions which Jaebum did not know the answers to. He almost blew his cover, leaving the officer puzzled as he was “recommended” by Mark to go lay down to get over his “beaming sickness”.

So now he lies on his bed, staring up at the white tiles feeling utterly useless, leaving his fate in the hands of a doctor with zero knowledge on the subject of parallel universes and one of their youngest officers without a clue of what’s going on.

He’s rid himself of his gold-uniform shirt, the material seeming to become tighter the longer he wears it. He steadies his breathing and thinks about what’s going on in the other universe, and how his Jinyoung is faring with the other Jaebum. If any of them have figured it out yet, or if they too are working on a plan for the switch. Jinyoung is perceptive, he’s got to have noticed by now. 

There must be some sort of telepathy going on, because right then the door to his room opens, revealing Jinyoung -this universe’s Jinyoung- face turned down in worry. Jaebum shoots up into a sitting position when he hears the commotion, suddenly not being able to look the vulcan in the eyes from the pieces of information he’s learned.

Jinyoung seems to sense the tension, choosing to sit down across from him on the bed, but leaving about a foot of space between them.

“Are you feeling any better?” 

“Yeah, um, I’m alright now,” Jaebum lies, watching the way the other man’s hands fold neatly in his lap, a mannerism eerily similar to his Jinyoung’s. “Just resting for a bit.”

“I see that,” he says, lips pinching together. “I am sorry if I am being overbearing, I only worry about you sometimes. This in addition to the fact that I know you were upset because you will not be able to meet my parents for a while, I want to make sure everything is okay between you and I.”

This must be a conversation the other Jaebum and him had before the switch. Interesting that they are already at a point in their relationship where meeting the parents is in question. Since Jaebum is pretending to be the other guy, he nods in comprehension.

“Everything’s fine, Jinyoung,” it’s not technically a lie, since everything is peachy between the two of them in the other world. 

“Okay. Then I shall leave you to finish resting,” he continues with his tight-lipped semi-smile, like doesn't believe him. Before exiting, Jinyoung scoots closer and leans his mouth towards Jaebum’s. His first reaction is to turn his face to the side, causing Jinyoung’s lips to hit the junction between his mouth and chin at an awkward angle. He knows it’s the wrong thing to do when Jinyoung pulls back sorrowly.

“I do not wish for you to lie to me,” he deflates, looking anywhere but him. “I know there is something troubling you. Is it me? Do you wish to not be with me anymore? It is fine if you do not, Jaebum. Just please, I ask you to inform me up front instead of acting like-”

“No! Wait, that’s not it at all, I promise,” Jaebum interrupts before any other thoughts pop into the vulcan’s head. He grabs the younger’s hands in comfort, trying to make him believe. If there’s one thing Jaebum will not do, it’s destroy a relationship that isn’t even his. He has to come up with something to keep from damaging two innocent people because he’s being stupid. “I’ve just been… stressed, lately. I’ve been trying to find my place here, and it doesn’t help that I’ve been away for the past couple of days. I missed the ship, and the crew. And you, of course. You most of all.” He says it, and it’s nothing but the truth.

Jinyoung’s face alters minimally like he doesn't fully believe it, lips turning upward as his eyes scrunch. His eyes don’t smile like his Jinyoung’s do by wrinkling at the sides, but it’s still breathtaking either way. He doesn’t know what propels him to do it -maybe just the fact that he wants Jinyoung to look like that forever- but he surges forward without thought and brings the vulcan’s lips to his. Jinyoung startles at first but presses back eagerly, and Jaebum tells himself that this is only to make Jinyoung believe he’s telling the truth and save this relationship from falling apart. From the first touch of their lips a tingle runs through his face and into his stomach, leaving him feeling weightless.

Jaebum tells himself to leave it at that, and pull away. Yet, Jinyoung seems to have other plans, leaning forward to part his lips. It feels even better than it should as Jaebum gives in to the intimacy. They kiss breathlessly for a few minutes, Jaebum’s brain stuttering at the slide of their lips together. This captain’s lips are soft, but firm against his. He ignores the sirens going off in his head, instead responding to Jinyoung licking hotly into his mouth. Jinyoung makes a low sigh as Jaebum deepens the kiss, hands pulling at his shoulders until he’s close, closer. He gets lost in the feeling of being with someone again. 

He knows this is wrong and tells himself to stop now, but his brain is too preoccupied with the way Jinyoung’s hands caress the sides of his face to care. It feels natural, almost like muscle memory, and Jaebum wonders if this is what he’s been missing out on.

They break apart for a second to catch their breaths, Jinyoung’s lips a nice shade darker and glistening. 

“What do you want?” Jinyoung asks with hooded eyes. His voice sounds wrecked, and it shouldn’t make Jaebum’s stomach flip, but it does. Swallowing thickly, he realizes he has no idea how to answer that. All he knows is that this feels ten times better than he thought it would, and he wants to see how good it can get. Jaebum surges up and captures his lips again, this time manhandling Jinyoung into his lap with a firm grip on his ass. He holds both cheeks in his palms, bringing their bodies painstakingly close. He’s admired it from afar, he’s not going to lie. But feeling it -even only through his pants- sends his lust driven body into overdrive.

Jinyoung groans unabashedly into Jaebum’s open mouth, who chases the sound. Jaebum’s already half-hard in his pants, driven by the warmth of Jinyoung’s solid body on his to grind their crotches together. It’s a sweet form of relief, and Jinyoung rolls his hips down in response.

He’s so lost in the moment that he nearly misses when Jinyoung lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it to the other side of the bed. With the other’s bare chest now in front of him again, Jaebum doesn’t miss an opportunity to get his mouth on the tan skin, kissing a trail up from the middle of his chest to the side of his neck.

But Jinyoung is too eager to get things going, pushing Jaebum until his back hits the grey silk sheets of the bed. Jinyoung hovers over him with his cheeks flushed, breathing labored. He folds their bodies together so they are bare chest to chest, and continues to grind their hips. Jaebum lets a soft moan out at the contact, Jinyoung dropping down to swallow the sound.

Their mouths are back in action now, their affectionate touch morphing into a heady conquest, like it’s a competition to see who can devour the other the fastest. Jaebum thinks Jinyoung is winning. 

He’s never done anything with anyone that feels this explosive before. It feels like flames licking at every inch of his skin that ignite every nerve. He knows why that is -or can take a pretty wild guess- even if he’s yet to admit it to himself yet.    

It feels different with Jinyoung because Jinyoung is different. Jinyoung is not like anyone he’s ever met before. He can come off cold because of his vulcan heritage, but his heart is full of color once he starts opening up. Though he likes to pretend like he doesn’t feel anything, Jaebum is privileged enough to be there when Jinyoung is open about everything. They’ve confided in each other their closest emotions, something neither of them have ever done with anyone before.

Jinyoung has little quirks about him that make Jaebum go soft, like the crinkles around his eyes that form when he smiles, or how he tilts his head when he doesn’t fully understand something. He likes how Jinyoung has the amazing ability to make even the worst of days seem brighter, and there’s no one else that compliments him so well. He loves Jinyoung, he really does. He’s his best friend.

He wonders if this is what it would be like back home, between the two. If their chemistry would mix to make something so intense and special. If Jinyoung has ever shared the same thoughts he has now, lying beneath the other. 

Jinyoung -the other Jinyoung- grabs at Jaebum’s belt buckle, and that’s the moment his brain finally catches up to him, because _he can’t do this._ Not like this, anyways. He isn’t this Jaebum, and this isn’t his Jinyoung. This Jinyoung’s eyes don’t crinkle, and he shows his emotions so easily, taking the fun out of Jaebum guessing what he’s feeling every day.

“Wait, stop. I can’t do this,” he detaches their mouths much to Jinyoung’s confusion. Jaebum pulls himself away from the other and sits up, Jinyoung following the action. He’s not about to jump into an act of foreplay with a man who thinks he’s someone else; it’s borderline non-consensual.

Jinyoung’s face falls again, and goddammit can he not look like a kicked puppy for a quick second, it’s breaking his already twisting heart. But he has to tell him the truth, he can’t let this continue and leave Jinyoung broken, or damage this relationship. He hopes he’ll forgive him for lying.

“I’m sorry I’ve been lying this whole time, everything’s not fine, and I’m not Jaebum.” _And_ _you’re not him_. “I mean, I am Jaebum, but not this universe’s Jaebum.”

And Jinyoung, for all the shit he’s been put through the past couple of hours doesn’t falter, miraculously. Like a shield is created, the vulcan puts on a face of impassiveness, and he wonders for a second if he’s made a horrible mistake and this really is his Jinyoung.

But it’s not, and when this universe’s Jinyoung speaks, Jaebum is left with more questions than when he came in.

“I know.”

 

 

Jinyoung is very perceptive, and he can tell instantly when there’s something off about a situation. He’s been watching the captain carefully like a hawk for a while, and there’s one thing he’s completely sure of: there is something wrong with Jaebum. That is, if this guy even is Jaebum, because after observing him, he’s not so sure.

This guy is quiet and calculated, unlike the real Jaebum. He hasn’t been leading anyone today. In fact, he’s been hovering over Jinyoung’s shoulder like he’s waiting for the man to give him instructions. Jinyoung can’t even meet his eyes fully, still thinking about why he kissed him. Whenever the other is near, it’s like the skin of his cheek burns from the lingering presence of the man’s lips, and he demands to know why.

He wants to confront the man about everything, waiting for him to finish up talking to Yugyeom about what seems like an improved navigation system.

“Okay, I’ll look into it Captain,” Yugyeom remarks, ending their conversation. 

Jaebum flinches like he’s been burned, spinning back to the ensign. “Captain?” He snorts. “Very funny Yugyeom, but in what universe am I the captain?”

The sentence rolls around in Jinyoung’s brain, watching as Yugyeom stares blanking at the man before him. He gets stucks on one little word, “universe.” Too small to make an impact but big enough to have meaning, and that’s when it all clicks.

Why Jaebum’s been acting weird all day long, like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Why he hasn’t been acting like the one in charge -like the captain- because he’s not the captain. At least not here. 

Because as theoretical as it may be, after everything he’s seen, it’s the only logical conclusion.

This Jaebum is from another universe. He’s from another universe, and he doesn’t even know it.

He doesn’t know why or how it’s come to be, but he needs to find out before this Jaebum makes a scene.

Yugyeom, who’s on the receiving end of Jaebum’s puzzling response opens his mouth to retort, but Jinyoung jumps in before the youngest rips the lid off of the situation.

“Jaebum!” It comes out more authoritative than he means it to, straightening himself when the rest of the crew stares at him. He clears his throat. “I mean… Jaebum, can I speak to you in private?”

The man nods, suddenly quiet and apprehensive, like he’s going to get a scolding. Jinyoung turns towards the elevator and Jaebum follows him, a dozen or so eyes tracing their movements. He presses the button to take them a few floors down, and waits for the right moment. If he’s going to confront this situation, he’s going to do it where there’s no cameras, and no prying eyes. He doesn’t want this Jaebum scared even more than he’s going to be.

The lights of the several floors zip through the spaces in the doors, and Jinyoung slams the emergency stop button. 

Jaebum’s eyes widen curiously, about to say something before Jinyoung beats him to it.

“Have you been feeling any different, or noticed anything uncharacteristic since you have been back?”

Jaebum looks the words over, thinking back to the couple of hours he’s been on the ship. “Not that I know of. I mean… there are a couple of things, like the trip and what happened with Yugyeom just now, but I didn’t think anything of it, why?”

While Jinyoung figures out how to word this without sounding delusional, his irises fleet across the other, hoping that just maybe, he could be wrong. He takes a step forward as his eyes wander scrutinizingly up and down, traveling from the leather boots to the veiny skin of his hands. Jaebum gulps from the heavy stare, and Jinyoung doesn’t miss the movement. When his gaze moves to his face, and he notices something there that’s wrong. Or, something _not_ there that’s wrong.

“Your moles…” Above Jaebum’s left eye, nothing but tan skin; not a trace of the two beauty marks in sight. 

It’s when Jaebum asks, “What moles?” in a tone much lower than he expects, he realizes how close the two are to each other, moving forward without noticing.

Jinyoung’s throat feels irrationally dry, swallowing as he puts space between them. “Our Jaebum has two moles above his left eye.”

Jaebum looks disbelieving, “What are you talking about Jinyoung?”

“When you hear the information I am about to give you, please do not write off my conclusions as anything other than plausible,” he tucks his hands behind his back and looks at Jaebum softer. He waits for the man to give him a signal to keep going before continuing. “It is my belief that you are the Im Jaebum of another universe that is not this one.”

Jaebum, for all intents and purpose listens carefully, but the clear bewilderment remains a mask of impurity. He opens his mouth, but then shuts it as he considers the statement. “And what proof do you have of this?”

“Everything that has just been discussed,” there’s most likely so much more that they haven’t found out yet either. “My assessment may sound outlandish, but I am rarely ever wrong. One of my dissertations at Starfleet was on the multiverse theory, so I know the concept well.”

“I know the concept well too, I read all 87 pages of your dissertation,” Jaebum admits, shrugging his shoulders like he doesn’t know what else to say. 

Jinyoung doesn’t expect to hear that, especially from Im Jaebum, the man who barely paid attention to anything involving words and paper throughout their academy days. He reminds himself that this isn’t his Jaebum, and likely things are much different in the other world.

“Then you understand that this is a likely testament?”

“It’s possible but-”

“But once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth,” the mouthful renders the human silent, eyes searching Jinyoung’s as he considers it. “Vulcans cannot lie. Confide in me, Jaebum, if you will. I may have a way of giving you every indication that you come from elsewhere.”

This other Jaebum watches him apprehensively, still uncertain. But in the end he nods his head and allows Jinyoung to lead him from the elevator. It’s evident he trusts Jinyoung, and he wonders how close their relationship is in the other universe -if it’s as close a they are here. He’s willing to take Jinyoung’s words easily, and Jinyoung himself still feels drawn to this man even if it’s not his real friend.

He brings Jaebum to the transport room, finding Jae at his usual position. From his studies on the theories of alternate worlds, there’s usually always an obvious coordinate that will pinpoint the location. Since Jaebum came through the beaming controls, the record of his transport will have a start and ending point. If it’s a coordinate they recognize, it will mean this Jaebum came from the real earth position, and Jinyoung will have caused hysteria over something highly explainable. But if it’s from a coordinate that doesn’t exist, then the multiverse theory will be law.

“What can I do for you, Commander?” Jae asks the minute they step in the room. 

Jaebum looks startled, “Commander?”

Jinyoung ignores the look he gets from Jae to turn to his friend. “Yes, I am Commander Park. Why, what is my position there?”

“You’re the captain,” he says it bewildered, like it’s a given. 

Jinyoung’s never wanted to be a Starfleet captain, so it’s interesting that the other Jinyoung has had different circumstances that led to his leadership. “Fascinating.”

The way Jaebum can’t seem to focus on one thing now tells him he’s beginning to accept the reality of the situation.

Jae is utterly confused, eyebrows raised while he waits for further instruction. “Um, what’s going on?”

“I have no time to explain Lieutenant, but I need you to pull up the coordinates from Jaebum’s last transport.”

Jae squints at the order but does it anyway, working the computer’s log in ways that Jinyoung’s never understood. “This is weird,” the officer says, zooming in on the numbers given. “It says his arrival point was here, but his start point is a set of symbols I’ve never seen before. There’s also another position reading too.”

“Symbols?” the other Jaebum questions, sliding past Jinyoung gently to look over the computer. “Those are the coordinates for Starfleet,” he explains like it’s obvious, before remembering the rest of them wouldn’t know. “This is the number system we use. What’s the other position reading?”

“Umm…” the lieutenant pushes his glasses upwards. “It’s the original trajectory point of your transmission sir, but I don’t understand the symbols could you…?”

Jaebum takes it as his cue to decipher the next set of coordinates, straightening up when they become clear to him. “It’s the coordinates to the ship’s location -or the location in my universe. But how is that possible, how did I end up getting beamed here?”

Jinyoung considers all options. Their universes must be overlapping to a point, and if the two Jaebum’s left the same location at the same time with the same path, there’s a chance it caused a rift in both worlds. “I believe when both of you left together, your streams might have crossed. The computers would not have been able to distinguish the difference, and latched onto whichever one. In this case, ours latched onto your coordinates, and your’s grabbed Jaebum’s.”

The alternate Jaebum ponders over the idea, and his eyes shift up like a lightbulb has been turned on in his head. “So this really is an alternate reality,” he scoffs in shock, attune to the fact that there’s another Jaebum that exists, running around in his universe doing god knows what. But he remembers there’s a problem at hand that needs fixing. “How do we switch us back? No offense, but I’m not cut out to be the captain.”

Jinyoung thinks on it for a second, and in the end it comes easily to him. He looks at Jae, who stares at the two of them with his top lip pulled in shock. He ignores the look, “I will explain all of this to you later, Lieutenant. For now, send the foreign coordinates to Jackson, he should be back at the helm by now.”

The vulcan sprints through the door with Jaebum in tow after Jae nods, a sour expression on his face. They meet Jackson at his station, and Jinyoung doesn’t miss the flash of surprise on Jaebum’s face when Jackson gets in his line of view, like he was expecting something different. He reminds himself to ask the man about it later.

“Jackson, you should have received a set of coordinates,” he informs, breathing jagged from the jog over. “Put them in the navigator and do not ask questions.” If Jackson is apprehensive, he doesn’t show it. He plugs the symbols in and pulls it up on the holographic screen. “Ok, now scan for any transmissions.”

The scanner runs for what seems like hours, even though it’s only twenty seconds at most. It beeps twice, showing the code from another set of transmissions, not made by the Got7.

“I don’t understand,” Jackson tilts his head. “There’s a transmission from another starship from this area, but we’re the only one here.”

“Can you connect with the ship?” 

“Of course but-”

“Good,” Jinyoung interrupts, no time for the lieutenant the finish his sentence or offer any counter remarks. “Once you establish connection, send a video transmission.”

“Sure thing Commander.”

 

 

“So you’ve known I wasn’t the real Jaebum this whole time?”

Jaebum rests against the headboard, facing the back of this Jinyoung, who sits at the edge of the bed too embarrassed to even glance at him. He would be too, if he just revealed he knew his identity all along and still pretended otherwise.

“I did not know the entire time, I pieced everything together as it went on,” Jinyoung explains in a hushed voice, made even lower from where he projects it away from Jaebum. “Vulcans pay great attention to detail, you know.”

He laughs, reminiscing about the other vulcan he’s got waiting for him back home, who always knows when Jaebum’s out of order. “Boy do I. But what finally gave it away?”

Jinyoung shifts himself so he’s facing Jaebum now, regarding him with a heavy gaze while his brown eyes travel up his face. They land on one spot and he sighs, “I know every inch of your skin, Im Jaebum. You have never had any beauty marks above your eye.”

He touches his moles reflexively; they’re so normal to him he didn’t even think that this Jaebum wouldn’t have them. 

“Fascinating,” the captain reaches out to lightly stroke his thumb over the skin. “That you retain all physical characteristics of him except for these.”

There’s no way they’ll ever know the true reason for that, but there’s one thing that’s on his mind. “If you knew I wasn’t Jaebum, why didn’t you say anything?”

“I could ask you the same question,” the vulcan retorts, a barely recognizable smirk on the edge of his lips. 

“Mark warned me not to,” he deflates, knowing now not to trust any Mark from any universe. “He said you were stressed out and didn’t need something like this to worry about.”

“That was very foolish of him,” Jinyoung groans, but still looks fond about his crew member and friend. “I did not say anything because I wanted to assume the best. I wanted it to just be my mind worrying about nothing. But I was wrong.”

They talk for another couple of minutes to get the jist of the situation, Jaebum informing him how Mark and Bambam are already working on a solution, and hopefully that the two of them in the other universe are too. They swap little differences about their lives, like how he did with Mark earlier, Jinyoung humming now and then when he finds a piece of information interesting. He physically stumbles when Jaebum informs him that their positions are switched in his universe, but still finds it “fascinating”.

He thinks the conversation is moving towards a way to try and fix this, but Jinyoung brings up something he hoped they would forget about.

“If my assessment is correct, _captain_ ,” he says, the word hot on his tongue. “It would appear that your Jinyoung and you are not together in your reality. So then why did you respond willingly to my advances?”

“I don’t…” Jaebum has no idea how to answer this. There’s a lot of questions in his mind at the moment, that have to do with the two of them. He knows there’s _something_ there, even if he doesn’t know what yet, but still keeps it from coming out. “I didn’t want you to think he wasn’t into you anymore, I guess. I was still pretending to be him, that’s all.”

Jinyoung tilts his head, giving him a sideways glance that says he’s not buying any of Jaebum’s bullshit. “What did I say before about lying to me? Besides, your tongue in my mouth would say otherwise.”

Jaebum cringes, covering his face in embarrassment. He face heats up as he thinks back to only a few minutes ago, wondering how both Jinyoungs have such a good read on him, even if he lowkey enjoys the fact that Jinyoung knows him well in any universe.

“Have neither of you ever even thought about it?”

This is his first time really. He’s only admired Jinyoung from a far. Sure there are things Jinyoung will do that Jaebum will fond over and go warm, but he chalked that up to just the effect of Jinyoung being his best friend. Now, after this, he’s doesn’t know what to think.

Jaebum rubs his face with his hands, coughing once to clear his throat from the sudden pressure lodged at the base. “Not until now,” he admits shyly, knowing he’s gone an obvious shade of pink. 

“Do you love him?”

It’s so out of the blue Jaebum swallows the saliva in his mouth and chokes on it, making him cough again. “Of course I do,” he scoffs. “Jinyoung is my best friend. I couldn’t do anything without him.”

“I see,” the vulcan replies. He chuckles then, like he knows something Jaebum doesn’t. “Without you there is no him, so do not underestimate his knowledge of his surroundings.”

Jaebum wants to ask what he means by that, but the sound of the communications speaker in the room pulls their attention away from each other.

 _“Bridge to Captain Park,”_ comes from a gravely Jackson. _“You’d better get down here quick, we’re receiving a video transmission and you won’t believe who it’s from.”_

“Who, Lieutenant?”

The pause is long enough to fill the room a thousand times over.

_“You.”_

 

 

Jaebum and Jinyoung made it to the deck in explosive time. Before Jaebum had even looked at the screen he caught sight of Jackson in his regular position, only this Jackson had bleached blond hair and wore dark eye makeup. It wasn’t that bad on him, but there’s no time to contemplate the look on a man he doesn’t even know when the man he does know appears on the screen before the bridge.

The crew of this universe -and of his- stare back at each other. Jinyoung - _his_ Jinyoung- looks on and catches his eye through the screen, sending Jaebum’s heart into a spiralling rhythm in his chest. He can see Jinyoung’s shoulders relax as he breathes out a sigh of relief. Jaebum peels his eyes away reluctantly, fixing on the sight of himself, the other Jaebum, standing next to Jinyoung doing the same thing he’s doing. It sends a chill down his spine to see his body reacting and not being able to control it.

The two Jinyoungs settle their eyes on each other, and the air of the room intensifies. They’re nearly identical, sans the opposing insignias on their chests that signify their ranks. Though it’s like looking in a mirror, Jaebum can tell immediately the difference between the two, like his brain and heart are being pulled towards the right one.

“Captain Park,” his Jinyoung says impassively through the screen.

“Commander,” the one on his side replies, maintaining their eye contact. 

Off to the side of both bridges, the Yugyeoms let out a, “and I thought one Jinyoung was bad,” at the same time. The two point to each other and laugh, earning them a death glare from both Jaebums until they shrink back to their seats.

“I do believe you have something of mine,” his Jinyoung informs, sending a warm feeling to the pit of Jaebum’s stomach at the possessiveness. 

“As do you,” the captain’s face softens as he looks over the man across from him with new slick black hair. “We should work diligently to fix this situation, as I imagine it will be quite difficult to navigate a starship with no captain.”

Commander Jinyoung’s lips turn up in the faintest of smiles. “Just as there is no need for two captains to pilot a ship. I have been researching into our worlds, Captain, and I have come to the conclusion that they will only be intersecting for a little while longer before we lose trace of each other forever.” If Jinyoung’s right, that means if they can’t switch them back, he and the other Jaebum will be stuck in their universes until the next time their times interlap, which could be years, or worse: never. “We will have to transport them back at the exact same time to prevent the same thing from happening.”

“Bambam and Dr. Tuan have been working on the transport system to reverse the process,” Captain Jinyoung says. “We can send both of them back.”

Jinyoung nods, and the rest get ready to intercept each other’s transmissions before the gap closes. In the end, it’s all a lot easier than expected. Jaebum steps up to the platform, bidding his farewells to the crew that isn’t his, and the Mark who helped him but didn’t get a chance to know. When it comes to Jinyoung, he awkwardly waves to the other in a form of goodbye. He knows he should say more, but how do you say everything you want to say to a man you've touched but don’t even know?

“Thank you, Jinyoung. Keep up the good work,” is all he ends up muttering shyly, scratching the back of his neck.

The captain rolls his eyes and uncrosses his arms, crossing to the platform but not stepping up. His head tilts up and quirks his eyebrows. 

“I know you not to be a fool, Im Jaebum,” is the last thing he says before Jae gets the signal and pulls down the lever. Jaebum closes his eyes as the tips of his fingers tingle.

For a second, he doesn’t think anything has happened. When he opens his eyes, he’s met with the same sight as when he left, Jae at the controls and Jinyoung standing on the other side of the platform watching him. 

The only difference is the way he feels: like a twenty pound weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He feels the fabric of his shirt to make sure it’s real, and traces the features of his face. There are still two moles above his left eye, and when he tugs a strand of hair long enough to see, he’s met with the pepper black of his natural instead of the chestnut color he’d been looking at for the past couple of hours.

He looks up at Jinyoung, _his_ Jinyoung, who stares back at him affectionately. He knows by just looking at this Jinyoung that he’s in the right universe, if the buzzing under his skin is anything to go by. He has to make sure though, and asks, “What position do I hold here?”

Jinyoung, in all his meticulous vulcan beauty shakes his head with little force, like Jaebum should know the answer. “You shall always be our captain, Jaebum.”

If his heart skips a beat at that, well no one has to know. He’s so happy that a little shriek of joy comes out as he tumbles to the floor, lying on his back with all fours spread out like a kid making a snow angel. 

“God I missed this place,” he cries, taking an extra measure to kiss the ground before standing back up. He ignores the look of disgust Jae throws him to face Jinyoung straight on. 

The vulcan still regards him playfully, hands grasped at his front. “We missed you too, Captain. You are the only Im Jaebum I will allow aboard this ship.”

Jaebum says nothing else, eyes traveling up the form of his best friend, trying to memorize every single detail. Sure he just saw him over the screen, but this is real life, and it’s so much more charged. _It’s not like he’s going to war, idiot._

He should feel embarrassed at having to face this Jinyoung after having full on dry-humping session with the other, but he doesn’t. Instead, he imagines what kissing the man in front of him would be like. The thought alone gives him a more intense feeling than kissing the other guy did, and turns his stomach to goo.

As he’s watching Jinyoung, there’s just something else there, growing. He didn’t notice it when he was in the other world, and only felt it when he watched Jinyoung on screen. He feels it now being in his presence in real time. It’s comfort, and affection. It’s gratitude, fear, longing, infatuation. His heart registers it before he does, picking up it’s speed until he’s sure the rest of the room can hear it. It’s love.

He loves Jinyoung. 

In the best friend way, but also the really gay way.

And suddenly, it’s too much to not be touching Jinyoung. He doesn’t do anything drastic, like pull him into a kiss or something that the situation doesn’t call for. Instead, he tugs him into an embrace, tucking his head into his neck. They’ve hugged a couple of other times before, but this time feels new, if only for him. Jinyoung grips back, hands fisted in his shirt as he leans his own head against his.

Jaebum knows once he pulls away his newfound affections for Jinyoung will have to stay bottled up for now, not wanting to risk their friendship in the case Jinyoung doesn’t feel the same way. Which is likely, as Jinyoung has given no indication so far. So Jaebum holds on for a second longer, breathing him in. He hopes Jinyoung can’t feel the way his heart hammers against his ribcage, and pulls away.

Back at the bridge, the transmission between the two ships is still up, even if for not much longer. Jackson and his other self seem to be conversing excitedly, the colors of their hair coming together to form a yin-yang symbol. Mark and Bambam look at their other selves in shock, while Yugyeom and Yugyeom laugh their goat-laugh at something. 

It all stops when he and Jinyoung enter the room, the breathless words filling with claps instead at the return of their captain. Jaebum feels a swell of pride and love for the people that surround him. Even Jinyoung claps.

The same thing must be happening on the other side, as the second crew grows quiet and cheer when the other pair enter.

“I do not know how much longer the connection will last,” Jinyoung directs to both crews.

Jaebum watches the screen quietly, the feel of his first officer next to him a clear comforting presence. “Today has been interesting, to say the least,” he peaks at Jinyoung out of the corner of his eyes and then set then back on the other two. “We seem to make a great team in any universe.”

The other Jinyoung nods, “That we do, Captain. I would like to say that if there is ever anything in the future you need, if there is a way, please do not hesitate to contact us.”

Jaebum brightens at the offer. “Same to you, Captain.” Everything is back to normal now, for the most part. The alternate Jaebum and Jinyoung will be able to live happily ever whatever in their other world, and Jaebum can go back to piloting this ship with Jinyoung by his side. There are still things to be worked out, namely the ‘hey I kinda might be in love with you’ thing, but it’ll come in due time, when he’s ready to confront those feelings.

The connection begins to fade, the edges of the transmission blurring greater as every second passes.

“There are some desires that are as necessary as breathing,” Captain Park says softly, staring directly into Jaebum’s soul. He doesn’t speak the words out loud, but he knows what the man is referring to. “You will only have regrets if you let an opportunity to fulfill your wishes slip through your fingers. Live long and prosper.”

Other Jinyoung raises his hand in the vulcan ‘v’ salute, prompting the rest of his crew to follow. Jinyoung mirrors the gesture he’s all too familiar with. “Live long and prosper.”

The technological advances of the twenty first century aren’t enough to keep the connection lasting, as the view of the Got7 Prime breaks apart, fading into the clear window that overlooks the blackness of space. His crew talk animatedly to each other over what they just witnessed, leaving the captain and first officer to themselves.

“What did he mean by that?” Jinyoung asks him genuinely.

Jaebum isn’t ready to open that can of worms yet, so he just shrugs his shoulders pretending not to know. He changes the subject, “I knew you would figure it all out, but how did you do it?”

The answer is far from simple, but when the vulcan explains it, it makes perfect sense. “We exist in a universe which co-exists with a multitude of others in the same physical space. For certain brief periods of time, an area of their space overlaps an area of ours. It was in that period of time that your positions were entangled, resulting in the substitution of both of you for the other.”

Now that this whole thing will become open information when he updates his captain’s log, Starfleet will be looking into the possibilities of even more universes. Since Jinyoung was a major part of the research for the theories, he will ultimately be called in to investigate further.

“I do have one inquiry, Jaebum,” the commander pinches his brows together. “I do believe that our doppelgangers were in a physical relationship with each other.”

Jaebum flinches slightly, hoping Jinyoung didn’t notice. “What? Wh-why would you think that?” Does Jinyoung somehow know about…

“Jaebum -the other Jaebum- kissed my cheek before he knew this was a parallel universe,” the captain feels a spike of jealousy at the thought, but bites back down the irrationality. “Did the other Jinyoung… try anything with you?”

‘Try anything’ would be an understatement. He had the guys tongue in his mouth and ass in his hands like a silver platter for christ’s sake. But Jinyoung can’t know that Jaebum got into something he shouldn’t have and unearthed feelings in the process.

“Uh no,” he plays it off coolly, clearing his throat. “Nothing happened.”

“Perhaps I was mistaken then,” he sounds almost disappointed, and Jinyoung stares hard at the floor.

Jaebum doesn’t miss it, and wonders what it could mean. “Why, would it be a bad thing if they were?”

“I do not believe so, no. It is just… fascinating.”

 

 

_“Captain’s log. Stardate 2050.200. Today on my way back from Starfleet, I was beamed aboard a foreign ship with the same crew and characteristics of the Starship Got7. After further inspection, I discovered the ship was not my own, but one of an alternate reality where Commander Park was the captain and I was first officer. I sought out help immediately from the world’s Dr. Tuan, Ensign Bambam and Captain Park. At the same time, the alternate Jaebum arrived on the Got7, and luckily Commander Park noticed the distinction due to his work with studying parallel universes. After a few hours spent in our separate worlds, the Got7 was able to establish contact with us. The alternate Dr. Tuan and Officer Bambam were able to reverse the transport controls and we were sent back to our worlds. As of now, we are unable to make contact with the Got7 Prime, and do not know when another opportunity window will present itself. As for Starfleet, I do not know yet what this will mean. If there is any more information we find I will report it. For now, this has been Captain Im. Over and out.”_


	6. Ep. 5: Family Affair

Stardate 2050.227

 

It’s been over three weeks since their discovery of one of the probable multitude of alternate universes, and Jinyoung has never been so busy before in his life. Now that the truth of it all has become known to Starfleet, they’ve requested his presence to help turn the theory into a solid law. Since he does not have any physical proof besides the foreign coordinates from the computers, they have to go on his and Jaebum’s word.

The pressure is starting to get to him, from traveling to Starfleet every so often, to researching, rewriting the pages of his dissertation to be taken before the science elites, and continuing his duties as first officer aboard the Got7.

He spends most of his nights in the science lab going over his notes and running more hypotheses. If it weren’t for Jaebum coming in at 2 am every night and forcing him to get some rest, Jinyoung would forget to sleep. He’s grateful that the older man is always looking out for him.

He knows Jaebum is worried about him -he can understand why. He’s on a time constraint and has a full load on his plate. Jinyoung tries not to trouble his captain, which is why he agrees to let Jaebum close down the lab for today so he can take a proper break.

“Jinyoung you haven’t had a proper meal in days,” Jaebum peels him away from the computer, scooting him out the door so he can lock it. “Take this day off, please. I don’t want you to drop dead from malnutrition or lack of sleep.”

“Fine,” he replies tiredly, knowing there’s no use arguing with the captain once he puts his mind towards something. Plus, he knows he’s overworking himself and could use a very _small_ break. The heaviness of his eyelids become more prominent, and it’s evident if he doesn’t stop soon he’ll end up collapsing

“We’re gonna fix you up something nice, and then it’s straight to bed, got it? Nothing else for the rest of the day.” Jaebum fixes him with a pointed look that says ‘you have no choice in the matter’, so Jinyoung keeps his mouth shut. Jaebum slings his arm over his shoulder and guides him to the small crew lounge.

He’s appreciative that Jaebum is there to support him, because his legs start to feel a little heavier as they trudge on. Nothing he can’t handle, but still, the captain is like a steady comfort bringing him back to reality. And Jinyoung could really go for that nap after this, badly.

He goes to pull out the basic ingredients to make a bowl of ramen, but Jaebum shoos him away before he has a chance, pushing his shoulders until his butt plops down in a chair. He looks up and sees Yugyeom across from him with Bambam in his lap, laughing about something he can’t understand. He wonders how close their relationship is that they’re able to do things like this, but doesn’t want to push any boundaries. They startle when he sits, but their smiles don’t hinder as they look him over.

“Wow, he finally comes out of his cave,” Yugyeom jokes, earning him a jab in the stomach from Bambam.

Jinyoung turns away from them, eyeing Jaebum’s broad back as he procures a bowl and fills it with water. He softens at the domesticity of it all. When he turns back to the youngests, they have matching smirks that tickle him the wrong way.

“You got Jaebum to make you breakfast, that’s amazing. He never makes anyone food besides himself,” Yugyeom adds a wink at the end, causing Jinyoung to look at him strangely, like it mattered. Did it matter?

Jinyoung doesn’t say anything, watching Jaebum again as he fiddles with two bowls. He brings them over to the table, placing a steaming bowl of some sort of soup in front of him, dropping to his seat with his bowl in the other.

“Mislen soup,” Jaebum explains, and Jinyoung knows it well, from a planet in the delta quadrant, far from them. “Learned the recipe from a traveling priestess, she said it’s supposed to help purify the body and soul.”

 _Fascinating_ , he thinks. _Humans have such trivial practices to achieve good health._ But nonetheless, he spoons it into his mouth because Jaebum made it for him, and Jaebum believes in it’s powers even if Jinyoung does not. If it makes Jaebum happy to see Jinyoung consuming the -bitter and chalky, for lack of a better description- bowl of liquid, then there’s really no harm in continuing.

He looks over at what Jaebum’s eating and sighs internally; just a plain old bowl of ramen with cheese and sausages. He’d much rather be having that, but sips his meal ignoring the unpleasant taste at the back of his mouth.

When it gets too much to handle, Jinyoung leaves his spoon in the ceramic container. He tries to hide the sour look on his face, but Jaebum catches the split-second of it before he can wipe it away.

“Ah Jinyoung,” he laughs, lowering his chopsticks. “You don’t have to drink it if you don’t like it. I promise my pride won’t be too damaged.”

Jinyoung feels a little bad, but is also grateful that he doesn’t have to shovel any of _that_ anymore.

“Sorry…”

“Don’t be, it’s fine. I’ve never actually tried the stuff before, in fact this is my first time making it,” Jaebum brings the spoon up to his lips and blows the surface before downing the liquid experimentally. His nose scrunches in disgust and he makes a choking sound, much to the delight of the youngests who snort at the sight. “Well, I’ll probably never be making that ever again. Here, have some of this,” he drags his chopsticks with a particularly large portion of ramen over to Jinyoung.

Jinyoung in return leans closer to the captain and bites onto the noodles, a loud slurping noise causing him to cover his mouth in embarrassment. Jaebum laughs as he chews the rest of the ramen carefully.

“Cute,” he thinks he hears, but can’t be too sure.

“Yah Jinyoung, you’ve got a little…”

He barely registers that Jaebum is referring to something on his face when the other’s hand reaches out towards him. Jaebum’s thumb traces lightly over the area on his chin as he wipes the residue of the ramen, the whole time Jinyoung freezing in place. It catches him so off guard that he sits there unmoving as he feels Jaebum’s finger move back and forth under his lip. His eyes follow the movement as Jaebum pulls off and sucks the tip of the digit into his mouth to clean it off. Not the most effective way to do it, but it’s got Jinyoung wide-eyed and motionless from the contact.

He only snaps back to reality when he hears an “eeeewwww” from Bambam and Yugyeom, who make a gagging sound.

“You guys are almost as bad as Mark and Jackson,” Yugyeom jokes, a disgusted scrunch to his face. “You’re like a married couple.”

Jinyoung feels the tips of his pointed-ears get red hot. He thinks he sees a pink tint to Jaebum’s cheeks, but he could be imagining it.

“Yeah, you’re like the parents of the ship!” Bambam chimes in, bouncy in Yugyeom’s lap. “Jaebum is the dad because he’s the captain, and Jinyoung is the mom. And we’re all your little babies!”

Jinyoung cringes inwardly, but has to admit that it would make an interesting sight, him and Jaebum as parents to the crew. They are similar in a way, since they take care of the crew so well. But they are far from a couple.

Jaebum puts down his utensils when he’s cleared most of his bowl. “Okay then, if you’re our kids then stop bothering me and your mother.”

Yugyeom scoffs while Bambam falls into a fit of giggles.

The conversation is falling into an area of idiocy, and Jinyoung is too tired to fall into the peculiarity of human conversation. “Captain,” he directs at Jaebum with a pointed look. “Please do not give into their delusions.”

Jaebum almost looks offended.“What, you don’t want to be my wife, Jinyoungie?”

And there it is, another moment of Im Jaebum rendering him speechless just by his way of words. From the playful twist of his voice and smile, Jinyoung knows he’s only pulling his leg. But curse the way he says his nickname like that, it always makes him give in to what the captain says.

He doesn’t know how to answer the question, or if he should. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be Jaebum’s wife -or husband- he’s just never given any thought to the matter. He resorts to saying, “That would be quite impossible, as I am of the male gender,” and Jaebum closes his mouth in defeat.

Jaebum regards him for a moment, and Jinyoung can see the gears grinding in his head as he deciphers what kind of sarcastic statement he can reply with. Jinyoung awaits it with open ears, but doesn’t get a chance to hear it when the door to the cafeteria slides open.

Lieutenant Mina steps in with her bouncy brunette hair, but her face reads with concern.

Yugyeom is blind to it, as he jumps up with a, “Mina heeeyyy!”, and a tilt to his hip. It knocks Bambam onto the ground, the officer landing on his behind with a thud. Yugyeom is obviously in a mood of female conquest by the way he eyes up the other ensign and bites his lip.

Off to the side, Bambam crosses his arms and squints at the young girl before fixing himself upright and slipping out silently with his eyes cast downwards. Jinyoung is the only one to have noticed it, wondering if he should bring it up with the officer later, or if it’s something he shouldn’t talk about.

“Save it Yugyeom, I’m here for Commander Park,” she rolls her eyes. She turns to face him, “Commander, I was sent personally to come get you. We’re receiving a video transmission from Starfleet, and you need to be the first one to see it.”

“Why, who is it from?”

Her eyes tell him there’s something else. “Just please come with me.”

 

 

At the bridge, all eyes fall on Jinyoung as he steps through the doors. Not a word is spoken by any of the officers, who watch him with faces of unhinged concern. The secrecy surrounding the whole thing is already sending a spike of anxiety through his veins, but the attention he gains stabs him in the gut even harder.

Luckily, Jaebum is in the same boat he is, wondering what all exactly the message is going to contain. For half a second he’s convinced himself it’s going to be Starfleet, calling to revoke his commanding rank and send him back home because he’s fallen behind on the multiverse law workings.

He’s already got his goodbye speeches going in his head when Jaebum says, “Show it”, to Jackson.

The video -a prerecorded one- comes to life before him. From the first second of screen time Jinyoung’s stomach shrinks deeper into his body, and everything stops. His breathing, his mind, and his heart.

The two figures that stand together are a few years older than when he saw them last, age barely indicated by the slight greying of their hairs. But he could never forget their faces, never forget the feeling of seeing his family, even after all these years.

His parents, vulcan father Minyoung, with his prominent brow ridge and slanted ears, and his human mother Hyeojin, her distinct cheekbones and large brown eyes, stare back at him from the broadcast.

It takes the feeling of Jaebum’s hand on the lower part of his back for him to not run. “Are those your…?”

“My parents,” he doesn’t even fully believe it. His eyes trace over every part of the video, like he’s trying to memorize every single detail in case this turns out to be some sort of lucid dream.

“We felt it was only right for you to watch it first…” Jackson trails off, setting the playback again.

Jinyoung gulps, but nods his head anyway, unknowing of what it means. His parents stand in the background of one of the Starfleet buildings, that’s obvious. That’s how he knows this is a recent video and not a lost record, since his parents had never stepped foot off of Vulcan before they died. Or, before they didn’t die, apparently. They must have sought out Starfleet to find him.

“My son,” his father’s deep voice hits him like a ton of bricks, baritone but soft in nature. “We know you assumed your mother and I to have perished with the collapse of our planet many years ago. I am pleased to say that this is incorrect, and that we were able find refuge on Darnek.” Jinyoung’s legs almost give out from underneath him. “Unfortunately there were exigent circumstances that prohibited us from contacting you for so long, which we will explain in detail when we see you.”

Jinyoung waits to catch his breath, overcome with the heavy information load. Now that he knows his parents (and possibly others?) are alive, of course he needs to see them right away. _Perhaps second chances are not just a human figment._

His father continues, “We sought out Starfleet in the hopes of finding you, and they tell us they shall provide us with transports to your location. Your mother and I apologize for not being able to tell you this face to face, but hopefully we will have the chance to inform you of everything when we arrive.”

The video ends abruptly, and Jinyoung shrinks back into himself to asses the situation. His parents, whom he once thought had died years ago with the rest of his planet are alive and well, having survived the last known years on Darnek. There’s so many questions he needs to ask them, like how they never were able to contact him. How they left him believing he was the only vulcan to survive in the universe, when they were there all along.

The realization crashes over him in a wave of relief and utter and pure euphoria.

His parents are alive. He’s not alone.

Jinyoung wills himself not to cry -at least not in front of all these people. He’s never once mustered up a tear that hasn’t been related to anything other than his family, so he blinks back the wetness forming at his waterline.

No one seems to have noticed his falter, looking up at where he stands before them. Jackson, Youngjae, and even Yugyeom smile at him so genuinely that he feels it radiate within his bones. There’s a hand at the back of his neck rubbing in circles, and Jinyoung revels in the comfort of Jaebum’s touch. He closes his eyes and basks in the reassurance for a split second until the captain speaks.

“Your parents are alive, Jinyoung,” he can almost hear the smile. “They’re alive and they’re coming to see you.”

“I know,” he steels himself for a moment and lets his guard down, allowing the corner of his mouth to turn up ever so slightly to match Jaebum’s and the crew. It’s gone in the blink of an eye, “I should… go... get ready.”

“Okay,” his friend says at the same time he slowly backs towards the elevator, head still in a daze. “I’ll call Starfleet back and make sure they have our location.”

Jinyoung walks backwards into the elevator, noting the soft expressions the entire bridge crew are sending him. His mind buzzes at the thought of seeing his parents again. God, he’s wanted this for so long and now it’s no longer a dream.

He repeats the captain’s words back to him, a partial tremor in his voice. “Okay.”

 

 

For a good twenty minutes, Jinyoung sits at the end of his bed counting the threads of the carpet. The nervousness plus disbelief running through his body delays his reaction time only slightly, but soon he’s back in action when he remembers who’s coming.

His father liked professionality, and while Jinyoung usually puts himself together well, he starts second guessing himself. If he doesn’t look good in his father’s eyes, that’s less approval he’ll face. He suddenly feels like a teenager again going through the vulcan trials, when his father was constantly fussing over him and guiding him into vulcanhood.

The standard vulcan male hairstyle is short with bangs covering the forehead, so he works to brush his gelled hair down simply, the black ends descending to his eyelashes. His hair has grown out more than he usually lets it, so he combs the sides back enough to give his ears more room to breathe, something his father will appreciate if he doesn’t voice his opinion on the unruliness (in his standards) of the rest.

Jinyoung brushes down the sleeves of his blue shirt and black pants to rid any wrinkles, watching himself in the mirror. There’s nothing wrong with his face, but he washes it anyway. He always keeps his room tidy, but dusts off the dressers and straightens his bed just in case. He has to appear as professional as a commander is, which includes his personal quarters.

Jaebum contacted Starfleet immediately to give them their position, stating that his parents will be there by the end of the day. Jaebum also promised to be by his side (if he needed the support), but would otherwise give them the space they need for their reunion. Jinyoung’s more grateful than he realizes, and will definitely take all the support he can.

He borrows the video file of his parents’ message from Jackson and plays it over and over again in seclusion until he memorizes every second of it. From the mannerisms he’d forgotten about to the eye smile he gets from his mother, he stores it in his brain like he’s afraid it will disappear.

He practices what he’s going to say to them and what he’ll ask, stored from the five years of the thoughts of their deaths. There’s so much he has yet to know, and vice versa. He wants to understand how they’ve been living the past years, he wants to catch them up on his life here with Starfleet.

When Jaebum enters his room later he only says two words, but they punch the air out of his lungs as he forgets how to breathe.

“They’re here.”

 

 

At the transport room, a heaviness settles on his chest as he waits in silence. Jaebum is the only other one in the room, having ordered everyone out so he and his parents could have some privacy. Jinyoung wishes he wouldn't make that big a deal of it, but can't say he's not appreciative.

The tension builds in the air, and everything he knows is forgotten once the first flicker of the lights begin. Jaebum’s presence becomes background noise from the first second of materialization, and when his parents finally trickle through, everything he rehearsed loses itself on the fallen memories of a time before.

His mother, older but still as radiant as ever, glows with the light of a thousands moons when she sees him. There's defined wrinkles that he hasn't seen before, but her smile -the one that tucked him into bed at night with whispers of sweet dreams- remains the same.

It's no surprise when he immediately embraces her and pulls her close, leaning down to tuck his head into the crook of her neck. “Mother.”

Her scent of earthy pine is new, but then again so much has changed in the five years they've spent apart. She hugs back just as affectionately, and Jinyoung lets himself have this moment. He lets every emotion he's hidden deep pour out while he clings to her tighter, like she'll be gone when he pulls back.

It was his mother, the only human among millions of vulcans that served as a reminder of what his other half was. It was her that brought out the human in him, that allowed him to feel. After her assumed death, there was nothing in his life to keep him tied to his human heritage, so it was easy to let it go. It's the main reason why he's been so cold and reserved the last few years. (As he thinks on this he finds himself falling back on one stubborn person in particular that allowed him to find comfort in his emotions again, unknowing of what it could mean).

“My Jinyoung,” her beautifully accented voice speaks softly when he pulls back. Her hands find themselves at his cheeks, gazing at him blissfully. “Look at you all grown up. You've become so handsome, just like your father.”

He smiles bashfully down at her, taking her hands in his. Jinyoung gently tugs them down to look at his father, broad-chested standing at his height. While vulcans can live up to an entire lifetime longer than humans and age slower, the evidence is there. It’s specifically in his eyes, almost a darker shade of what they once were.

“Father,” Jinyoung extends his arm in preparation to shake his hand, but instead is pulled into a bone crushing hug. He’s shocked at first; his father has never displayed this much affection for him before. Vulcan males do not usually embrace anyone from the culture, but it has been a long time -his father might have learned to approve of the practice. It’s awkward when Jinyoung hugs back, but he just chalks it up to this being the first time they’ve ever hugged before. Either way he’s overwhelmed with joy to be in their presence again, a lump forming in his throat when he tries to speak.

“I still,” he pauses, looking over the two. He clears his throat, “I still cannot believe you are alive. I thought this whole time…”

His mother’s soothing voice is like an anchor tying him to reality. “Shhh sweetheart, it’s okay. We’re sorry we could not find you sooner, but all that matters now is that we’re together.”

“I know,” he insists, voice still shaky. “But how is it possible that you are both here?”

“I know you have questions son, and we shall do our best to answer them in due time,” his father says, and while it’s not quite the answer he’s looking for, it appeases him for now. The elder vulcan peeks over Jinyoung’s shoulder, eye’s locking with the captain’s. “Good day, you must be Captain Im,” Jinyoung had forgotten completely about Jaebum’s presence during the emotional moment, and feels embarrassed that he let his guard down.

“Yes, I’m the captain of this vessel,” Jaebum bows, Jinyoung’s father mirroring the image. He thinks it looks all too formal. “I, on behalf of the crew of the Got7 extend our warmest welcome to you both. Jinyo- I mean Commander Park,” he corrects himself eloquently, “has spoken often of you both with pride.” Jinyoung thinks he hasn’t talked about his parents enough, on the other hand, but keeps the thought to himself.

“We always new our Jinyoung would amount to great things,” Hyeojin admits fondly of her son. “He’s nothing short of hard-working, of course?”

“Our Jinyoungie is the best the Got7 has to offer,” Jinyoung cringes at the nickname now being used in front of his parents, and feels the modesty creep up his neck. “He keeps everything in order, including myself. Without him, this ship would fall apart.”

His parents look to him, his mother with pride and his father with content. He doesn’t outright show it, but Jinyoung knows he’s gained his approval.

“Please, if you will follow me, I can get you both set up somewhere you can have the reunion you all well-deserve.”

His parents thank Jaebum graciously, and Jinyoung feels the kindness he’s extending to them within his soul. Without further adieu, Jaebum leads them from the transport room. Maybe it’s because Jinyoung desperately craves the touch he’s been without since his parents were presumed dead, but he links his mother’s arm with his as they walk. She kisses the top of his hand, and he closes his eyes to soak in the feeling.

They get situated in one of the nicer rooms the ship holds, one used primarily for those of high esteem or position when they stay with them, whether it be a prime minister for trade negotiations or when they house a member of a royal family from a distant planet.

The room is larger than his own quarters, but he would give nothing less to members of the original high vulcan council, even though they probably have been treated to worse wherever they’ve been staying.

“I’ll give you all some time to talk in privacy. If you need anything at all, you know where to find me,” is the last thing Jaebum says, and Jinyoung thinks this is when he really looks like a captain of a starship. The two make eye contact and Jinyoung actually smiles first, widening even more when Jaebum relaxes and does the same. “It was nice meeting you.”

After the door closes there’s nothing but silence for a beat as his parents collect themselves and investigate the room. Jinyoung finds a seat on a chair across from the large bed, anxiety pounding his skull so hard he thinks his parents can tell.

“You are held in very high regards Jinyoun-”

“Hyeojin please, let us not delay the inevitable,” Minyoung silences his wife, much to Jinyoung’s disapproval. It’s very unlike his father to speak over someone, especially someone he holds in his heart. “Jinyoung is most likely confused about our very existence.”

“Yes,” he scoots the chair forward and takes his mother’s hand, blinded by love when she shines down on him. “I would very much like to understand well… everything.”

The two seat themselves on front of him on the bed, his mother still clutching onto his hand, albeit a smidge tighter than before. Jinyoung can feel her hand trembling in his, and steadies it. He takes a deep breath that threatens to burst to prepare himself for the conversation that will follow, and exhales.

His father starts off, crossing his arms protectively around himself. “When we found out about the collapsed star, we knew it was only time before it would become a black hole and devour the planet.” His eyes are sad, an unusual quality they’ve never possessed before. “The high council was informed about this before the rest of the population, and we were evacuated first, to preserve our culture in case the rest were lost.”

The rest were lost, as it seems, his father sighing at that fact. Jinyoung knows he feels guilt somewhere inside him for failing to secure the millions of souls lost. But the rest of the council is alive. Which means, vulcankind isn’t on the verge of extinction. They will still remain an endangered species until they can get their numbers up, which will take mass breeding for years.

“If you were able to flee, why did you not seek me out for so long? Did you feel shame in leaving everyone else and could not bring yourself to confront me?”

“No baby, that’s not it at all,” Hyeojin rushes to inform. “Our transport ship was damaged during the takeoff. We were hit with so much debris, it caused the hyperdrive to malfunction. We were only able to make it to the outer rim of our galaxy before we had to force a landing.”

“We ended up landing on the primitive world of Darnek. We had no money, and no way to fix the ship. Some of the natives were nice enough to take us in and give us shelter, and allowed us to stay in their villages until we were able to leave.”

“It took us longer than we anticipated,” Minyoung speaks slowly, thinking back on the memory. Jinyoung can almost see in in his words. “Five years it took our combined powers to repair our transport, Jinyoung. Five years, and there was not a day that passed we did not think of you on earth. If there was any way for us to contact you, we would have. You do not know how hard it was to have you believing we perished, and to not be able to be with you for so long.”

“Oh but I do,” he’s felt it everyday for 1,825 days since Vulcan was destroyed. Thinking back, those were some of the darkest moments of his life. He was never diagnosed, but Jinyoung knows he had some form of depression. It was hard and he was self destructive, drinking often to block out the thoughts even though his high metabolism prevented him from doing so. It wasn’t until he set his path for his own destiny and put aside all feelings that his depression went away and eased the pain. He’s only ever confided this to one person, Jaebum, but can’t bring himself to expose the hard information to his parents. It’s different now. His parents are alive, and he has hope. “But that is in the past, and we should celebrate the present, because our time together is a gift.”

His mother squeezes his hand, “You really have grown up so much, Jinyoung. We’ve missed so much of your life, I want to know everything about you from the past five years.”

“I should warn you,” he begins, suddenly very self-conscious about his life. It’s not like he’s done nothing; exactly the opposite. “It is not very exciting.”

His dad displays his arms in a wild gesture, causing Jinyoung to flinch back. “Nonsense! You are our son, tell us about your top position as a commander of this ship.”

Eyeing his father with his head tilted, he seeks the same from his mother. She nods, prompting him to tell them everything. So, he does. Starting from the first step he took on earth soil, he describes the differences between the two planets, and it’s inhabitants. How Vulcan was warm and dry, but Earth has a multitude of different seasons and temperatures. How there is no one true species that occupy the land, though humans seem to take up the majority of it. He speaks of Starfleet and how his work with them brought him great prestige in the eyes of his senior officers, and because of that they eventually gave him the position of commander.

“And how did you come to be partnered with Captain Im, Jaebum is his name?” Hyeojin brushes back her long hair.

“Yes, Jaebum. That is quite a long story,” he admits with fondness and embarrassment, remembering the times he absolutely would have rather spoken to a klingon than be in the presence of Im Jaebum. “We were not on the best of terms when he came to the academy. We detested each other for our own reasons, which are so trivial now,” he chuckles, wondering why the air in the room has suddenly gotten hotter. Luckily the bangs cover the sweat forming on his forehead. “Originally, it was Jaebum who was made first officer of the ship, to Captain Park. I was only the commanding science officer, but I was next in charge after Jaebum.”

"What happened?” They say in unison.

Jinyoung clears his throat. “There was an attack on the ship early on our voyage. There were only a few casualties, including Captain Park. He suffered a major spinal injury, unable to lead. Jaebum is the acting captain and I am the acting first officer until Park returns.”

His mother looks impressed while his father stares unblinking at him, not uncharacteristic of him. “I think he’s very handsome,” she says, referring to Jaebum.

Jinyoung agrees with a, “He is.” His mother gives him a look, and he vaguely wonders if there’s something on his face, like the blush he feels growing under the scrutiny.

He segues into the life he now lives aboard the Got7, waxing on about the crew he’s come to think of as family. He talks about how Jackson was his first friend and has stuck with him throughout the worst of his mood swings. How Yugyeom can be over the top, especially when he’s with Bambam, both equally superior and deserving of their positions. He tells them how Mark has saved their lives on a number of occasions, and that he’s come to think of Youngjae as the cute little brother he never had. He spends the most time on Jaebum, the most important person in his life (besides his parents, now).

He recounts their adventures, traveling to planets and helping those less fortunate than they are. He retells the story of how there was a near outbreak of a deadly disease on the ship, and the time they were held captive by klingons. He mentions the parallel universe, noting the impressed way his father’s eyebrows lift.

Jinyoung is content with his life, happy even. And with the addition of his parents and the knowledge that his species isn’t dead after all, he’s over the moon. There’s still a tired ache in his bones from his hectic days and sleepless nights, and he still wants to discuss how they are going about repopulating their kind, but it can wait. He doesn’t want to miss a moment he could be spending with the two that gave him life in case something separates them again.

He’s in the middle of describing the nonexistence of his love life (thanks to his mother for asking), when his father stands up abruptly.

“Hyeojin,” both pair of eyes fly up in confusion to the larger form hovering above them. “I am sorry son but your mother needs to rest for a little while. We will come find you later, alright?”

Jinyoung reads his mother’s face, eyes full of bewilderment, much like his own. She glances down and Jinyoung follows the movement. She quickly tucks her hands into the sleeves of her dress, rising to meet her husband’s stance.

“Your father is right, I must rest for a bit,” it sounds somewhat forced, leaving Jinyoung gaping at her. “I would like to rest and freshen up for a bit, if that’s okay with you?”

It’s a little weird that they would pick a time right in the middle of their conversation to rest, but Jinyoung understands being exhausted. “Of course, you are our honored guests. I will be on the bridge if you need me. I will send someone later to escort you.”

“Thank you,” she wraps her arms around him, and even though the outburst was strange, he hugs back generously. He bows to his father and leaves them. He stores the event in the back of his mind for later, wondering if he should be concerned. But he remembers that these are his parents and much has changed, so he forgets it and heads to the deck feeling lighter than air.

 

 

Word spreads pretty fast when you spend your time on a small ship like the Got7, so it’s no surprise that everyone already knows about Jinyoung’s familial situation. A few officers stopped to congratulate him on the way to the bridge, to which Jinyoung only responds with tip-lipped smiles.

The bridge crew cheer for him -quite literally. Once the commotion calms down Jackson is pinching his cheeks and making cooing sounds like he’s a baby. Jinyoung swats him away, unable to find himself standing in one position for too long. He steps around the room on shaky heels, ignoring the way Jaebum watches him.

“Where are your parents?” He asks, matching Jinyoung’s pace around the deck.

“I left them to rest for a bit,” he casually leaves out that they requested it themselves, but either way he’s telling the truth. “When they are up for it, I would like to show them around a bit, if that is okay?”

Jaebum looks at him like it’s the stupidest question he’s ever asked. “Of course it’s okay, Jinyoung. They’re your parents.”

It turns out their “rest” is a lot shorter than Jinyoung had expected it to be. He assumed they would use the time to shower or nap, not being escorted to the bridge by Wonpil only twenty minutes later. Half of him is curious, but the other half is ecstatic that they’ll spend even more time together.

He shows them around the bridge and where he works, much to the impression of his father. They are introduced to Yugyeom, Jackson and Youngjae, and a handful of others as they meander through. Jackson goes out of his way to kiss his mother’s hand and be his overly dramatic self, but his parents only find it endearing. His father even cracks a smile at his friend, much to Jinyoung’s surprise.

They greet Jaebum again; his mother seems to have taken quite a liking to him. A weight is relieved from his shoulders from their approval of him, and Jinyoung almost feels like he’s bringing home the person he’s dating to meet his parents, except this time it’s Jaebum.

Hyeojin somehow convinces Jaebum to join them while Jinyoung shows them around. He was apprehensive at first since he wanted Jinyoung to have the alone time needed with them, but in the end it was Jinyoung who gave him the okay to go.

Which is good, because Jaebum looks eager to impress them (as captain or Jinyoung’s friend, he doesn’t know). They walk in pairs through the levels of the ship, Jaebum leading with his mother latched on his arm talking each other’s ears off about what sounds like Jinyoung’s childhood (which he needs to put a stop to immediately), and Jinyoung with his father, matching stances with their hands tied around their backs.

He thinks he should be jealous or upset that his mother is spending more time talking to Jaebum than she is him, but instead he feels a sense of pride and accomplishment. For some reason, the image of his mother doting on Jaebum sears itself in his brain, almost like he’s the son-in-law being brought into the family. Even though that’s not the case at all, Jinyoung can’t stop picturing Jaebum as part of their world. He can see them in the future sitting down to dinners with his parents, going on vacations or even living near each other. Jaebum would fit so easily in with them too, if it’s not evident by now. Jinyoung first thinks of it in brotherly terms, which doesn’t sit right with him. It would be something more -something deeper. Something he likes to not think about.

He still doesn’t think about it, even now watching the two laugh comfortably in front of him, like they’ve known each other for years.

They arrive at the sick bay after wandering for a few minutes, waiting for Mark to finish up with his patient before introducing them all.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Tuan, but you can call me Mark,” he greets happily, taking Hyeojin’s hand in his like a real gentleman. Minyoung takes the opportunity to tour the room on his own, and Mark looks back to the three before him. “So tell me, was Jinyoung as much of a little shit when he was younger as he is now?”

If Jinyoung wasn’t in front of his parents right now, he’d consider pinching Mark until he passed out.

If his mother thinks the question is a little weird, she doesn’t say anything. “Oh I don’t know about that. Our Jinyoung was a very well-behaved child. Sometimes it was hard for me to keep up with him because he was half vulcan, especially during his birth,” she laughs, sharing the memory from over two decades ago. “When I was pushing him out, his ears got stuck for a little while. Nearly gave the doctors a scare!”

Jaebum shakes his shoulder while they join in with his mother’s fits of giggles. Jinyoung is the only one who fails to laugh, clearly misunderstanding something she’s said. “I thought it was a caesarean section delivery though, was it not?” Because of the size difference between vulcans and humans when they are infants, his mother was not able to deliver him vaginally due to her narrow hips and smaller proportions. At least, that’s what she always told him…

She looks taken aback at first, eyes unable to stop moving as she bites her lip. But like a switch is flipped, she regains her composure and smiles so hard her eyes turn into thin lines. “Yes of course you were! Oh my, my memory must not be fairing well with my old age. Yes now I remember, the doctors went to pull you out but your ears got caught in my uterus.”

He wonders how she could ever forget such a fact; she’s not that old, barely in her late forties, which is only considered middle-aged in human terms. It strikes him as odd, but he doesn’t press the matter further.

Mark shows them through the area for a little, explaining the times he’s had to treat Jinyoung for wounds and illnesses, much to the horror of his mother. His dad seems to take everything in stride. A nurse comes in and informs the doctor that his four o’clock patient is here, so Jaebum kindly ushers them out with bids of farewells.

The captain takes the lead again, their new course for the engineering departments with Jinyoung’s mother in tow. “How did you end up falling in love with a vulcan? I’ve only met one in my lifetime -well two now- but you know, he’s kinda-”

“Captain Im,” Jinyoung interrupts, already knowing what is going to be said. “May I ask you to refrain from insulting me in front of my parents please.”

His mother catches his eye, and Jaebum laughs. “I’m only teasing, Jinyoungie. But no, whoever he ends up with, they’ll just have to learn how to handle him.” It sounds almost strained, but Jaebum covers it with a chuckle. Jinyoung wonders what it could mean.

“It seems like you know how to handle him well enough,” his mother notes, and immediately Jinyoung feels his cheeks flush.

Luckily Jaebum doesn’t notice it. “That’s because if I don’t, I’ll end up with my crew going on strike because this one is going around calling them ‘primates with clothes’.”

“That was one time,” Jinyoung scoffs, pointing his finger into the human’s chest. “You all were being particularly tiresome that day, and it was you who started it by referring to me as an ‘elf with attitude’.”

Looking around, Jaebum pretends not to know what he’s talking about. “Uh actually I don’t recall that at all…” Jaebum removes his finger from his body, and Jinyoung chases the feeling when Jaebum turns his attention back to his mother and continues leading them along. “But really, how did you two end up together anyway? I thought there was stigma behind vulcans leaving the planet?”

“Oh there was, of course,” she looks back at him, like she’s trying to piece everything together. “Jinyoung should tell you, he loves the story.”

He does enjoy the story, but thinks it’d be just the same, if not better coming from the person who actually experienced it. “Alright,” he gives in to the sight of his mother’s bright eyes. “My mother was a missionary at the time, and her church had traveled to our planet to meet with the high council about the rising poverty levels on the outer rim. My father was apart of the clergy back then as well, so they worked on the mission together.” Thinking back on it, it’s the perfect love story. Two star-crossed lovers defying destiny and their own cultures to be together. “Mother ended up loving it there so much that she stayed and married my father. I was conceived and the rest is history.”

He always admired his parents love for each other, a feeling so deep they went against the high council of Vulcan and faced discrimination and being outcasted. It’s something Jinyoung gains his strength from.

“So, how come you’ve never had any other children after Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung feels like Jaebum could have asked him himself, but appreciates the genuine interest the older boy has in his life and family.

“We just never had time,” Hyeojin admits. “Jinyoung was a handful and we had so much going on with the um… the high council. I would have loved for Jinyoung to have a sibling, but unfortunately there are circumstances than can’t be helped.”

There _are_ circumstances that can’t be helped, but none of them involve what his mother is describing. His mother has not once showed any interest in having another child, as having Jinyoung nearly killed her in the first place. Because of the stark differences between the anatomies of humans and vulcans, there was no true conception of Jinyoung in the primordial mammal sense. There is a special process performed by the high vulcan priests that allow a human to carry a vulcan fetus, but not without risk of damage to both the mother and baby. The birth is especially dangerous, but Jinyoung’s parents went through it anyway for the chance to have their own child.

That’s why it comes off so strange to him when she speaks like she wanted another baby. Because physically she _couldn’t._ Not without killing her. Either she’s told him something different his entire life, or she’s lying. But what is the point of lying?

Things get slightly stranger when they get to the engineering department of the ship, when his father proclaims rather suddenly that he needs to have a moment to go to the restroom. The whole thing would not seem so bizarre if not for the fact that before he sporadically announced this, Jinyoung spotted him out of the corners of his eyes folding his hands into the ends of his robes, like he was concealing something. It’s reminiscent of what his mother did earlier, so he wonders if there’s some condition the two have fallen under.

Things are starting to feel off, Jinyoung will admit. He can’t place his finger on what it is just yet, but hopes his parents will come forth and tell him instead of hiding whatever it may be. He loves his parents with his whole heart and soul and they care for him right back; there should be no reason for them to keep secrets from each other.

“Your father is just feeling a little bit under the weather,” she says like she’d been practicing it in her head before hand. He notices the slight tremor in her hands and watches the way she nervously bites her lip. He’s been around humans long enough to know the mannerisms they show when being dishonest -and while he doesn’t remember the signs of when his mother was lying- he knows that she is.

When Jinyoung’s father returns they carry on like nothing happened, but Jinyoung opens his eyes a little more to observe his surroundings. If there’s something going on, he wants to know.

The last one of Jinyoung’s closer friends they meet is Bambam, who jumps up from where he’s working on the fuel system to introduce himself. He’s got a line of soot across his forehead and smells faintly of gas, but no one minds. In fact, Hyeojin and Minyoung find it endearing that such a young adult has grown a passion for something so unruly.

“I’m glad you both are here,” the ensign dabs the sweat from underneath his bleached bangs. “Maybe now Jinyoung will stop being so emo all the time.”

Jinyoung scoffs and steps forward as if to hit him, but Bambam jumps out of his reach to hide behind Jaebum.

“I’m just kidding, he’s actually opened up more these days. I think it’s because he’s so close with the captain now,” Jinyoung looks to Jaebum, who throws up a peace sign with a coy smile in response. “He’s close with us too though. We always pull pranks on him and he pretends to be annoyed. But he secretly likes it.”

At the first sight of Jinyoung moving, Bambam darts in the other direction. Jinyoung of course would not do anything, not while his parents are right in front of them.

“You allow pranks aboard your ship, Captain?” The eldest man asks concerned, and suddenly Jinyoung feels like he’s letting him down.

Jaebum crosses his arms pointedly to assure the man. “It’s all in good fun, I can assure you. It doesn’t distract from his duties. We all need a laugh every now and then.”

“Yeah,” Bambam interjects. “We once filled his pillows with whipped cream. He came to the bridge covered in it, all mad. He found it funny eventually.”

Jinyoung’s dad looks unfazed. “Interesting.”

An awkward silence follows, Jinyoung feeling it hard to stand between the eyes darting back and forth to him. “Okay!” He proclaims. “Ensign we have kept you too long,” he turns to his parents. “How about I show you my lab and what I have been working on? I am sure you’ll find it particularly interesting, Father.”

They bid Bambam adieu, who sneaks out of the way so Jinyoung doesn’t hit him, and travel down a few levels to where Jinyoung finds himself most nights. He feels the eery ache of sleeplessness in his bones walking to the room, remembering how he’s been awake for over 36 hours. He stifles a yawn, listening in on the tail end of the conversation between Jaebum and his parents.

“We cannot imagine how hard it must have been for him,” the elder woman says softly, speaking up to Jaebum. Jinyoung registers that they are referring to himself, like he isn’t even there.

“I can imagine,” the captain responds, air of regret surrounding him. “I lost my father when I was very young, and it broke me. So I should think it would have been something like that, only amplified by two.”

His friend looks back at him for confirmation, tipping his head. Jinyoung only returns with a tight turn of his lips -not even a smile- feeling smaller under the pressure of the six eyes watching him. In reality it was more than by two; he lost an entire planet along with it. _When have I become a martyr?_ he thinks, scratching the back of his neck. This was really a conversation he’d like to have at another time, alone.

“But our Jinyoung is a strong man,” his father proclaims, lifting his chest up in example. “A Vulcan heart is made to withstand the needlessness of human grief. His heart is solid,” to further prove his point, he taps Jinyoung’s chest twice with his palm before letting his hand rest there. Jinyoung’s eyes lock on the intruding limb, following its movement as it’s pulled back to land on his father’s own breast. “Just like a Vulcan’s should be.”

It’s a simple action -placing his hand over his chest- one that would be seen as normal, at least to the rest of them since they are human. But Jinyoung is not fully human, and neither is his physiology. While he has received a lot of his mother’s physical traits, he retained most from his father: eyes, ears, build, and _heart_. Which is why he knows everything is wrong when his father points at their chests to indicate where their hearts are. Because unlike humans, a vulcan heart lay not in his chest, but in his lower abdomen. It’s something no vulcan would forget, especially not his father, who had once held so much pride in his genetic makeup. Eyes lock on the floor below him as his mind races with fear.

Jinyoung lifts his head to see his mother and Jaebum beaming at him. This man, his _father,_ takes on a face of impassiveness, one that Jinyoung seems to mirror more easily now. He doesn’t show it, but he’s carefully calculating every move that is made now as they carry on.

In the end, it only takes a minute or two for Jinyoung to fit all the pieces together into one big puzzle. The fact that his mother forgot key moments of her life, _integral_ moments, like giving birth to Jinyoung via c-section. How she seemed to lie about wanting children, when she did not have any interest in them at all. Now that he’s thinking about it, it’s odd that she asked Jinyoung to tell the story of how her and his father met, when she could have easily retold it herself. He realizes she didn’t ask him because she thought he enjoyed the story, but because she didn’t _know it._

His father is the same way. From the moment he stepped on board he’d been overly affectionate with him. Then there were those bizarre instances when he would suddenly stand and announce for themselves to he excused, or have time to be alone. It would only last a few short minutes, but the way they hid their hands in the process, it felt wrong. They shouldn’t be hiding anything from him -their son.

And now this is the last thing that makes Jinyoung stop. Any true vulcan would know where his own heart beats. Which means that this man is not a vulcan, and this _imposter_ is not his father. It also means that likely, his counterpart is not his mother.

The revelation stings, a strike of lightening cutting through his core deeper than it should, and it takes everything in him not to scream his lungs out. It hurts badly; he just got them back. He was given hope that his parents were alive and he’d get to be with them once more. He was made to believe that other vulcans were out there too and his species had a chance to survive, but now he sees that that’s likely not the case at all. Everything is a big lie, and Jinyoung can’t stand it.

_I was such a fool to believe this was real._

His face doesn’t convey anything outwardly, which is impressive considering his heart has just broken in two. His mind however, spins and spins like the gears of a clock until it burns out, bringing on a headache that splits his skull.

These people, whoever they are, are not his parents, and they’ve been spoonfeeding him the entire time. He feels dirty and used. And for what? Control? Love of deceit? A scam to get Jinyoung to aid them? These are the many questions rolling around in his head, and he has to know why. He has to find out who they are and how they discovered all this information about his parents and his life. When he does, they’re taking the first flight out of there if he doesn’t end up strangling them himself.

Jinyoung trails silently behind when they reach the lab, mentally preparing himself. It’s hard, but he manages to keep all the anger and wretched defeat at bay for now. He has to let these people see that he’s unaffected by their deception, that he won’t show his biggest weakness. If they get the upperhand, Jinyoung’s lost.

He blinks back to prickling sensation building at the corners of his eyes and takes a long breath in. He releases every ounce of uncertainty and fear, setting his jaw tight. He morphs into the Jinyoung he hasn’t seen in a long time, the one he’s learned to live with when times are tough. It’s the cold and emotionless man he’s stepped away from since entering this ship.

He’s a ticking time bomb; he has to to avoid any trace of sentiment or else he’ll explode right then and there.

The sound of the door clicking behind him leaves Jinyoung dazed as he reaches for the weapon in his holster. It’s just a precaution, in case things end up going badly, as they tend to do around there. He aims his phaser up and the thump of the latch sending the weapon to stun reverberates off the white walls. Jaebum snaps his head around almost immediately, eyeing the weapon he’d unknowingly stepped in front of.

“Jinyoung what are you doing?”

These people, the fakes pretending to be his parents spin around too, backing away as they become an unwilling target.

Jinyoung, unblinking and stoic, stares the two down. “It seems we have been mislead, Captain.”

“What are you talking about?”

The white room that boxes them in gets smaller with every word he breathes. “These people are not my parents. They are only imposters who look like them.”

“I don’t understand…” Jaebum’s confusion and concern does nothing to calm his nerves. The captain looks to the other two without a sound, taking them in from head to toe. They look the part all right, but Jinyoung knows better. It can be very hard to completely fool a vulcan.

The woman gapes with her mouth protruding down slightly, and Jinyoung can hear the hitch in her breathing. The man pretending to be his father shuts his eyes and sighs deeply, but does nothing to dispel the claim.

“He’s right,” is the first thing he says. Jaebum gasps and Jinyoung wonders how he was able to give up so easily. “We are not your true parents, and I am so sorry we deceived you for this long.”

With the truth now out, Jinyoung feels a little more at ease. He’s still hurt and wants them to leave as soon as he figures out why.

“Who are you and how were you able to orchestrate this entire charade?”

The woman looks a few seconds from crying, and even though Jinyoung is angry with her, deep down he feels remorse.

“Please,” her soft voice coming out in the sound of his real mother’s breaks. “We mean you no harm, I swear. We just… want to love you.”

Jinyoung lowers his phaser, sharing the same bewildered look as Jaebum. “Sorry if I misunderstand, but did you just say you want to love him?”

She nods. “I think it would be best if we told you the truth about who we are.”

“No kidding,” Jaebum remarks as he crosses his arms. “You owe him more than just the truth lady. Start by telling us who you are first.” It’s times like this that Jinyoung is glad Jaebum will always have his back.

“My name is Sung Sishik and this is my husband Eunsoo, that much was true. We are from a planet called Proto-II, as I’m sure you’ll know well.”

Jinyoung does know it well. Proto-II is a smaller planet that has been cut off from trade with other large planets for some time, due to their ongoing disputes of ethics involved with their religious practices. They had delivered food rations to them what seemed like weeks ago. It was barren and hot, nothing much to look at. But he does not remember these two, and surely would have if they were parading around as his parents.

“We were there the day you brought our people the supplies. Only, we didn’t look like this,” she explains, pulling a small black object out of her robes. “Due to evolutionary effects, our kind are able to take on the physical appearance of whomever and whatever we find necessary for our survival. When you came to our planet, we took on the appearances of two children, in hopes that you would give us more sympathy. We use this,” she lifts what appears to be a leafy ball of black vines that cling together. “It’s called Gynio Root, and it allows us to change.”

It explains why the kept having to leave every now and then to be alone; perhaps the effects were being reversed. Jinyoung is so accustomed to unbelieving things happen to them that he doesn’t even blink at the confirmation, or flinch when Jaebum asks, “So you guys are like… Shapeshifters?”

Eunsoo nods, looking regretful. “In a sense, yes. Every Protozonan has the ability to, but most do not use it because they fear it is a gift from the devil. Many seek to purge it from themselves through sacrifices and other harmful ways.”

It’s all very fascinating, Jinyoung will admit. “But, where do I fit into all of this?”

“We had a daughter, Jisoo,” Sishik holds herself as she explains. “She was only five years old. She was sick, and only getting worse. The Federation refused to send medical supplies to our sector, and she...” There are full blown tears leaking from her eyes now, and Jinyoung feels his own burning from the sight. “Our people, we become too attached to things, it’s in our nature. We have to have something to love or else we just give up, and stop living.” Wiping her eyes, she looks up at Jinyoung with a watery smile. “We saw you that day, all by yourself. You were so interested in our culture, and we fell for you instantly. We grew attached in only a few minutes, but we knew there was something about you that needed us.”

“We got your name from another officer and looked you up. We learned all about who you were, and your family. We traveled across the galaxy to find you, and we pretended to be your parents. We put on this whole charade so you could love us back. I know it’s wrong, but we had no other choice,” her sweet voice chokes on the last word. She tucks her tear-stained face into her hands and sobs. “I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry, Jinyoung.”

These people have lied, created falsehoods, and cheated Jinyoung out of the optimism he had for his parents still being alive. But this woman still looks like his mother, and still carries her melancholy voice, so he can’t help but feel sorry for her. It does not excuse their actions, but it does help him understand them.

He makes no move to comfort either of them, but doesn’t want to leave it at this. “I am sorry for your loss, but I do not need another set of parents. So Captain if you do not mind, I will inform Jackson to set the coordinates for Proto-II.”

Jaebum looks at a loss for words but nods anyway. He sees Sishik breakdown again and removes himself from the situation before he does the same, which he knows will be coming the moment he stops moving.

“Let me know when we reach the planet,” Jaebum shouts his name as he exits the room, but Jinyoung hurriedly blocks him out. He thinks he’ll stop by the engine room to see if Bambam needs any help, or will have something to keep his mind busy for the time being.

 

 

The back-breaking work keeps Jinyoung at peace for the time being until he gets called to the transport room. Bambam had asked him if everything was okay and Jinyoung replied with a snarky, “Everything is fine. I just need to work.” He knows it comes out angrier than he means it to, and reminds himself to apologize to Bambam later for it.

When the typical, _Transport to Commander Park_ , comes through, he doesn’t even take the time to respond. He knows they’ll get the message.

They arrive on Proto-II around sunset, which makes for a very picturesque background amongst the grief that has built up over the past few hours. The dirt of the dry land crunches beneath his shoes, the occasional gust of wind thrusting some of it into the air in swirls of brown and grey.

Sishik sends him another apology, “We are truly sorry for any pain we’ve caused you from old memories, Jinyoung.”

He feels the truth in her words finally. “Emotional pain is only a figment of the mind,” he clears his throat, trying to force the lump that has grown to rest. “It is characteristically human, therefore there is no need for an apology.”

“We just thought,” she begins again, but this time for the last. “Childless parents and a parentless child. It seemed to fit.”

In another time, maybe Jinyoung would think so too. “There are no replacing my parents, just like there is no replacing your Jisoo.”

It’s obvious that Sishik is holding back tears, smiling at him as best she can without faltering. Her breathing hitches again when she looks down at her arms, noting the discoloration. It’s the same for Eunsoo, except this time, there is no reason to hide.

“Would you like to see who we really are?” The skin of her hands begin to shimmer.

Nodding, Jinyoung watches in awe. “Of course.”

The skin doesn’t shed from their bodies, but instead it morphs into what Jinyoung assumes is their real physicality. Where their hands used to be is now black and flowy, like if you were looking at the night sky. Their clothes shed as the rest of their bodies follow, until they are nothing left but figures people would have nightmares about.

They take the outline of a normal person, but instead of skin, it’s all black space, like if a shadow was upright and walking. Jinyoung thinks that if he could, his hand would go right through them. They have no facial features, so it’s hard to see where to speak to. It’s fascinating nonetheless.

With nothing else left to say, Jinyoung assumes that will be it, and they will all be on their separate ways. He startles when the blackness of what can only be an arm reaches through. It’s not distinguishable because it’s all mist, but he feels it the moment it comes in contact with the side of his face.

Sishik cradles his cheek in her hand lovingly, and all Jinyoung can do is stare down into the nothingness of her face. He cannot see her reactions, but he can feel how lost and saddened she is. He wishes there was more he could do for her but he can’t -and there’s nothing she can do for him either. They both have to face these things alone.

They say nothing else and ride into the wind with the dust. Jinyoung feels their presence lost to him immediately, and his mind keeps replaying one single word over and over again in his head, like a method of torture.

Alone.

 _Alone_.

A l o n e.

Because that’s all he’ll ever be. Utterly, and completely, alone.

No one else of his kind to fall back on. No planet to return home to. No family to stand by his side. He was a fool to think otherwise.

The realization is like a slap to the face. He already knew, of course, from before that he had no one else. But after having been given the hope that he had someone, and then have it ripped out of his hands, everything he’s ever held back resurfaces. In that instant, everything he’s ever felt pertaining to life, love, his planet, his parents, and whatever else he’s burried down for so long erupts from his soul in long waves, powerless to stop it.

It feeds into the utter exhaustion he’s tried to keep at bay all day long, which rises inside him like waves crashing onto the shore. The fatigue encompasses his entire body, and suddenly everything feels a lot heavier than it did minutes ago. It’s like someone has tied fifty pound weights to his legs, causing them to buckle from underneath him. Jinyoung goes crashing down, knees colliding with the coarse terrain.

The bomb he had become has finally counted down to zero.

The shrapnel embeds itself in his heart, pain radiating under every inch of his skin. The sleepless nights prevent him from opening his eyes, but he registers Jaebum dropping down in front of him as he screams his name.

“Jinyoung!” Suddenly there are hands gripping his arms as he sags forward, collapsing into the older man’s chest. He’s just so, so tired.

Jinyoung lets out a shaky breath, unable to bring himself to lift his head up. He pinches Jaebum’s shirt in his hands, hoping it will steady him.  “I have nothing,” it’s barely above a whisper, but the break in his voice is clearly audible. Daring not to show his face, he tucks it even further into the crook of the captain’s neck. “They always leave me,” he mumbles into the fabric of his gold uniform. “I have no one.” He doesn’t mean to say the words out loud, but now that he has, there’s no taking them back.

Jaebum wraps his arms round him, pulling Jinyoung even further into his space. He runs a comforting hand down his lower back, the other one coming to cradle the base of his head.

“You have everything, Jinyoung,” he breathes harder, like he’s trying to steady himself too. “You have this life, the Got7, the crew,” he pauses to swallow, and Jinyoung can feel the motion from where they’re pressed against each other. His voice breaks on the last word, “You have me.”

And with that, the cracks in his dam that have been forming gradually deepen, and his walls break entirely.

Unable to stop the tears from forming, he lets them flow as he drowns the rest of the world out, entangled there with Jaebum. They come in buckets of moisture, soaking the side of Jaebum’s neck. A hiccup escapes his throat, paving way for the sob that rips through his whole body. He’s full on bawling now, fisting the material of Jaebum’s shirt harder in his grasp, like an anchor.

He lets himself have this moment too. He allows himself to feel everything, no matter how much it hurts. It’s a reality that comes with being half-human, a force so great it leaves him gasping for breath.

Jaebum says nothing, rubbing circles into his skin and repeating a sweet, “shhhh” in his ear. Jinyoung thinks that if this were any other person, he’d be embarrassed. But because this is Jaebum, the person he trusts most in the world, who’s seen him at his best and at his worst, Jinyoung savors the touch and melts into it.

It’s why this hurts even more the second time around after losing his parents, because of Jaebum. Jaebum, while unknowingly, allowed him to feel. Before, it had been Jinyoung’s mother that had tied him down to his human side. When she passed, he thought there was no way he’d be able to find his true self again. But then came Im Jaebum, a stubborn troublemaker who flipped his whole world upside down.

Jaebum got a rise out of him when no one else did, and was able to connect with him in ways he still doesn’t fully understand. He was able to open up and trust him easier than anyone he’s ever met before, and he’s grown a love for the man that could rival the affection he once shared for his parents. Jaebum makes everything easier, and has slowly grown into the one person that ground him to his human half.

This pain hurts even more now because he’s grown to care for Jaebum more than he ought to, or even deserved to. Jaebum seems to care for him just the same if not more, that much is evident by the way he holds Jinyoung while he sobs.

Maybe it hurts a little bit more because Jaebum has weaved his way into his heart so deeply that Jinyoung would have to physically carve him out to get rid of the feelings he has. Im Jaebum has become an integral part of his life, and he can’t imagine going on without him. He felt so much pride at the sight of Jaebum with his parents -even though they were imposters- because there is a fiery want for Jaebum to be with him like that.

He wants to have been able to introduce Jaebum to his parents, and would love more than anything to met his own mother some day. He wants to be held by Jaebum like this and hold him back in return when times are hard. He wants to go to bed and wake up to see Jaebum’s smiling face and eye moles basking in the sunlight of their shared room. He wants to be everything he can to Jaebum, whether it’s just friends or something more -whatever they both need right now.

Eventually Jinyoung’s tears dissipate, and they’re left with only sounds of their hot breaths in each other’s hair. He feels their hearts beat together in perfect harmony, unable to bring himself to stand up. He closes his eyes when he feels Jaebum lift him into his arms, Jinyoung securing his own around the older man’s neck. He feels like a child almost, but is grateful because today’s events have drained every ounce of energy out of his body; he wouldn’t have been able to even stand.

Jinyoung hides his face, but if anyone seems them they don’t say anything. He hopes they won’t bring it up later either.

Jaebum lets himself into Jinyoung’s room and lays the vulcan down on his bed. From the moment his head touches the pillow, Jinyoung feels the sleep he desperately needs blanketing him. Or it might just be the comforter Jaebum tucks him into carefully, so not to disturb him.

Jaebum makes to leave, but with his eyes barely a fraction of a millimeter open Jinyoung manages out a, “Stay.”

He cracks his eyes open as far a he can under the dead weight when the opposite side of the bed dips. Jaebum looks down at him sadly, puffy red eyes a contrast to his tan features. Tear stains trail down his own cheeks, meaning he’d been crying as well.

Jinyoung’s eyes close on their own, the beginnings of his consciousness fading out like a moving picture.

Faintly, there’s a fleeting touch as fingers brush back a few strands of his hair. Jaebum says something to him again, but Jinyoung’s so far gone he doesn’t know if he dreamed it or not.

“I’ll never leave you.”

 

_“Captain’s Log. Stardate 2050.227. My log today will be short. We had received word from Starfleet that Commander Park’s parents were alive and had sought contact with him. Upon investigation we discovered that they were just Protozonans in disguise vying for their own desires. We sent them back to their planet, and Commander Park has been given time off to make sure his mental and physical states are in order. Im over and out.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me.


	7. Ep. 6: Return to Tomorrow Part I

Stardate 2050.260

 

The fall season is a time when a large number of people celebrate their birthdays. Chalk it up to the fact that they were conceived at the turn of the new year when their parents were likely celebrating under a haze of booze and fireworks.

The Starship Got7 is no exception, blessed with a plethora of birthdays come autumn. First it’s Dowoon; they throw him a small surprise party. They were scared that he might find out since word travels fast on the ship, but since he’s always working down in the kitchen it was likely word would not reach him if it got out.

For Mark’s birthday, they have a small gathering in his room per his request. He wanted to keep things small, so only Jaebum, Jinyoung, Youngjae, Taecyeon, Yugyeom, Bambam, Sungjin, and Jackson actually attend. They all pass around a bottle of Hennessy and drink with pink cheeks and alcohol muddled brains. Jackson and Mark get a little too handsy, Jackson shooing everyone out with a, “Now it’s time for me to give Mark his present.” Jaebum is a little drunker than he originally thought, and has to rely on Jinyoung to walk him to his room. He clings to him sloppily and lets out a, “Jinyoung I love you,” accidentally, but the vulcan just assumes the culprit is the alcohol. Jinyoung only laughs and says, “I know you do, Captain,” before putting him to bed.

Jae hates birthday celebrations, especially his own, so he asks everyone to just forget about it when his day comes around. They respect his wishes, but at the end of the day when Jae heads off to bed, Jaebum slips a letter from his family under his door. He doesn’t say anything about it the next day, but Jaebum can see that he sits up straighter and actually attempts to make conversation with people.

Youngjae’s birthday is five days before the shared birthday of Nayeon and Jinyoung, so they decide to have a joint party for all three. Jinyoung has never celebrated his birthday before, claiming it was “a human tradition and vulcans did not blow out candles”, but caved once Jaebum pulled out his best pouty face. Their party is a little bigger, Jaebum allowing them to have it on the bridge. Each of them get their own cake, and are showered with presents.

They get the traditional chorus of happy birthdays, and blow out their candles. 

“I have never blown out a candle in my life, Captain. Isn’t this a bit ridiculous?” Jinyoung asks, all eyes watching as they wait for him to continue with the celebration.

Jaebum grows impatient, as he has a plan and Jinyoung is unknowingly pushing it back. “Just do it you geek,” he urges, moving the cake towards Jinyoung until it’s right in his face.

“Alright, alright,” he smiles shyly, backing away. He looks at the cake and shakes his head slightly, but blows the candles out regardless. “I cannot believe I have just succumbed to human delusion.”

Jaebum moves quickly , removing the few candles they used, tossing them on a nearby table.

“Are you happy now?” Jinyoung asks him without any clue.

Jaebum only smiles in response, and decides to execute his master scheme. With Jinyoung distracted by his dazzling smile, Jaebum lifts the cake and smashes it right into the commander’s face. There’s a round of gasps and laughs around them, and white frosting flies everywhere, but it’s worth it to see Jinyoung’s face when the cake is pulled back. “I am now.”

Jaebum gets one look at the priceless reaction of Jinyoung with his eyes dejected and mouth closed, tumbling to the floor in laughter. Jinyoung looks none too happy, but when Jaebum controls himself enough to get up and apologize, his entire demeanor changes completely. Jaebum doesn’t see it coming when Jinyoung grabs a fistful of cake and retaliates, smearing it across his face. He hears Jinyoung’s sweet laughter erupt harder than it ever has before, and can’t find it in himself to even complain. He instantly wants to hold the other man down and kiss him breathless.

The crew all laugh at him, so he basks in the attention happily. Youngjae guffaws a little too loud in his ear, so Jaebum takes the opportunity to wipe the cake from his cheeks and smudge it onto Youngjae’s giant gob. 

It doesn’t start a cake fight luckily, but it does boost the fun level by a few notches. They mess around and then each birthday member unwraps a few gifts from their friends. Nayeon gets a new comm device since hers was broken, as well as a set of cryolite earrings and some new boots. Youngjae receives a translating guide for the two or three languages he _doesn’t_ speak, a cross necklace from Jackson and Mark, and a plethora of other things from the rest. Jinyoung insisted he “did not require anything”, so most of the crew stuck to his wishes. But Jaebum is not the rest of the crew, and wants to show Jinyoung just how much he’s appreciated around here and how much Jaebum cares for him.

So when the party dies down and everything is (mostly) cleaned up, Jaebum pulls Jinyoung aside and leads him to his room, where Jaebum put the gifts before hand. 

“I know you said not to get you anything, but when do I ever take your advice?”

Jinyoung rolls his eyes once the door closes and the lights come on. “Seldom, if ever,” he knows by now that things are game changing when it comes to Jaebum, and accepts it.

There are two gifts. Jaebum thinks he knows how Jinyoung will react to one, but not so sure how he’ll react to the other. He’ll either love it or hate it. He crosses his fingers and lifts a box he had hidden under his bed.

It’s roughly the size of a shoe box, but inside is another smaller black box, and he takes it out first. “I got this made for you on earth when we had a meeting with Starfleet a while back.” He knows he sounds shy, but Jinyoung must not pick up on it. The vulcan lifts the lid of the little black box and tilts his head. 

“A necklace?” He lifts the gold chain towards the light, inspecting the thin metal and the thumb sized ovular object that dangles. He registers what it is, and surprisingly asks, “A locket?”

Jinyoung doesn’t show outright gratitude, eyeing the piece of jewelry with perplexion, but Jaebum regards him with a smile anyway. “Open it.”

He watches as Jinyoung unhooks the small clasp and spreads both pieces of the locket out. It’s cheesy, he knows, but Jaebum thought Jinyoung needed something of his family to carry around with him at all times.

“Oh…” Jinyoung gasps, watching as a holographic picture of his parents emerges from the right side of the necklace. 

Jaebum can’t read the look Jinyoung is sporting, and wonders for a moment if he’s made the wrong gift choice. His nerves kick in, so he starts rambling. “I didn’t know if you liked jewelry or not, I mean you don’t normally wear earrings or anything like the rest of us so I couldn’t be too sure but it’s your parents and I thought it might be nice to have them close to you and-”

“Jaebum,” Jinyoung snickers, interrupting. “I do not usually wear any jewelry of the sort. But do not worry, I appreciate your gift very much, and I shall wear it because it is your gift to me.”

At that, Jaebum sags his shoulders in relief. “Okay, good. I left the other half of the locket empty, so you can put whatever or whoever else in there if you want.” Some voice in the back of his brain is shouting ‘ _I know someone else you could put in there’,_ but Jaebum urges it to shut up.

Jinyoung glances down at the locket, and then back up at him. “Could you…?”

It takes Jaebum a few seconds to get what Jinyoung is referring to, but once he does he jumps into action eagerly. “Oh yeah, sure.”

Jinyoung hands him the ends of the necklace and gets closer so their faces are only a foot apart. It makes Jaebum gulp and almost drop the locket, but he recovers it smoothly and wraps the ends around Jinyoung’s neck. There’s a growing unreadable tension in the air, and he tries not to fumble under Jinyoung’s gaze as he watches him, but his sweaty palms mess up once before finally clasping it. 

Jinyoung only chuckles at his misfortune, “Thank you.” Jaebum adjusts the chain so the locket falls down neatly in the middle of his chest, and Jinyoung throws his arms out as if presenting himself as a new person. “Well, do I appear as a regular jewelry wearing human?”

“You look good,” Jaebum snorts. “You’ll give Jackson and Bambam a run for their money.” The sides of the vulcan’s eyes crinkle, and Jaebum thinks he’s accomplished his job so far. But there’s still one last gift he has to give, and the importance of it drops his voice down to a serious tone. “Now, this other gift is something you can’t really have. At least not yet.”

Inside the box are the photographs, blueprints, and 3d projections he’d received from Starfleet weeks ago. He hands the pictures to Jinyoung, and unfolds the blueprint for the project.

“I spoke to Starfleet, after the shapeshifters left the ship,” the captain begins, palms sweaty. “I saw how hard that time was for you, and how hard it always is being the only one. I wanted to help you preserve your culture as much as possible, so,” he clears his throat, shrinking as Jinyoung’s eyes search his, awaiting. He nods down at the pictures. “Starfleet is erecting a museum of Vulcan history. It’s to be in your family’s name.”

Jinyoung’s mouth parts slightly, looking from the images back to Jaebum with wide eyes.

“These are just some of the mockups they have planned. The museum is going to be right around the corner from Starfleet, so it’ll be close. They plan to have it open to the public sometime next year and…”

Jaebum peaks his head up from the blueprint in his hands and watches Jinyoung with his own bent over the images, searching through them. His stomach drops when a tear lands on the top image, and then another.

Oh shit, Jaebum wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction at all. He knew Jinyoung might not like it, but he never would have guessed it would make him sad enough to cry. He discards the paper in his hands right away and rushes to Jinyoung’s side.

His hands reach out to the vulcan’s shoulders like they're magnetized. “Jinyoung wait,” he says frantically. “Please don’t cry, I didn’t mean to upset you, I just really wanted to give you something special that you could remember them by.”

Jinyoung’s face is still turned down, and Jaebum thinks he’s really fucked this whole thing up. But then suddenly, the man before him bursts into laughter, wet sloppy laughter that Jaebum feels reverberate in his chest. Jinyoung finally looks up at him with no trace of sadness, just tear stains and a short smile. 

“You giant imbecile.”

Jaebum is positively confused. “You’re not upset?”

“Of course not,” Jinyoung grins so hard the crinkles Jaebum absolutely loves form at the corners of his eyes again. “This is the greatest gift I have ever received. My tears were out of happiness, because this has made me very happy. You have made me so, so happy, Jaebum.”

When he hears that, Jaebum feels giddy, like a teenager with a crush again. Jinyoung looking positively happy makes him feel extraordinarily happy too, if only the vulcan knew just how much. 

“You make me happy too,” he whispers, reaching a hand out to brush the trail of tears away from Jinyoung’s glowing cheeks. He realizes when Jinyoung’s smile falls that that was not the right thing to say, and tries to retract his hand away before Jinyoung can say anything about it.

But Jinyoung’s own comes up to grab his before he can move it. Jaebum’s hand fits almost perfectly in his, and when Jinyoung adjusts it so he’s holding it properly, something in the air shifts.

Jinyoung watches him with a heavy gaze and gets close enough that Jaebum can feel his hot breath on his upper lip. The sudden change in demeanor has his insides twisting, unsure of what will happen next. His breath hitches when Jinyoung’s eyes dart down to his lips. Jaebum want so desperately to know what Jinyoung’s thinking, if he knows what this looks like. He wants to finally know what Jinyoung tastes like, but needs something else from him to know it’s okay. Somehow, he never thought something like this would be happening, not even in his wildest dreams.

“Captain,” Jinyoung whispers, looking into Jaebum’s brown irises. He wants to swallow the sound. “Forgive me if I am stepping over any boundaries, but I would very much like to kiss you right now.”

Even though Jaebum can’t feel his legs and his chest is threatening to explode, he’s able to steady himself just enough at the turn of those words, face breaking out into a shy smile. His hands find themselves at either side of Jinyoung’ face, cradling them gently, like he could break any second. They're trembling a little, and he hopes Jinyoung doesn't notice. It sends the message as what Jaebum has been wanting for for so long, ever since he discovered his feelings when the alternate universe’s Jinyoung kissed him.

But now that he’s here with the real Jinyoung, his Jinyoung, the person who makes his head go crazy and his heart to backflips, he knows it will be even better.

“Please,” his voice wavers at the plea.

At the first touch of their lips everything in Jaebum’s mind vanishes, only focusing on the softness of Jinyoung’s mouth pressing into his. It’s only a light peck, but somehow it's all he could ever want. The fact that he's been thinking of this for so long and now it's finally happening sends a stream of foreign feelings to the pit of his stomach. It’s already the best kiss he’s ever had, and knowing Jinyoung wants it too makes it even better.

He doesn’t know what this means for them, if Jinyoung is just kissing him in thanks or if he really feels the way Jaebum does, but he knows the game has changed.

Jaebum is the first to pull away, but only far enough that their foreheads lean against each other. He opens his eyes to see Jinyoung staring back at him like they're the only people in the world. 

“Happy Birthday, Jinyoung.”

 

 

Stardate 2050.306

 

There is a last minute trade deal that the Got7 has been assigned to oversee. Originally, the Starship 17 was assigned to the task, but after they discovered a problem with their hyperdrive, it was then passed down to them.

It's on the planet known as Suclora, a small but largely known planet due to their continued use of what earth inhabitants would call the “Victorian Era”. Meaning, the lands are ruled by nobles, who continue to employ the feudal system.

The whole idea surrounding the trade deal is that Earth will supply Suclora with oil since their lands do not produce them. In return, Earth will get tons of their crop seeds, which have the amazing ability to detract and kill bugs without the use of pesticides. It will help greatly with farming in the warmer climates of the world. 

The planet is one of the richest in all of the galaxies, so this deal would make great allyship for both Earth and Starfleet. Jaebum understands the importance of this meeting as he reads over the invitation they received, inviting the entire crew to visit the palace of the royal family, King and Queen Ahn, while Jaebum and Jinyoung meet with them over the deal.

Things are… weird. With Jinyoung. Jinyoung technically hasn’t been avoiding him. Quite the opposite, actually. They still work together as Captain and First officer, and still mess around like friends do, just like they did before. Looking in from an outsider’s perspective, nothing would seem out of the ordinary. Because nothing _is_ out of the ordinary. There’s never an awkward moment between the two, just occasional lingering glances and tension filled looks of secrecy. It’s mostly due to the fact that neither of them have actually breached the topic of what happened after Jinyoung’s party again.

It’s not really either of their faults. Jaebum has wanted to ask about the kiss several times, but something always seems to get in the way. From Starfleet taking up all his attention to a meteor shower that lasted ten days, he keeps getting pulled into different things and doesn’t get a chance to meet with Jinyoung again in private.

Jinyoung is just as busy to, working with the other science officers on many Starfleet-related tests and studies.

One of the advantages of not talking about their kiss is that it gives Jaebum time to practice what he’s going to say to Jinyoung when that time comes. So far he’s got: 

_Jinyoung, that was the best kiss of my life I think you’re really cute and also I want to have your babies._

It’s still a work in progress.

Jaebum was planning on doing it soon, but now that they’re being pulled into this thing with Suclora, he’ll just have to keep waiting.

They arrive on the planet just after daybreak, embracing the warmth that Suclora’s spring brings at this time of the year. It feels a lot nicer that the brisk winter earth is in right now.

The crew is ecstatic to be able to walk among a castle with actual maids and knights, and Jaebum reminds himself to give thanks to the royals for letting them have this amazing opportunity to do so.

The only person who fails to show any genuine interest is Jackson, which strikes Jaebum as odd considering the younger gets excited by the most trivial of pursuits.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Mark asks his boyfriend, pout hardened on his face as he grips Jackson’s hands. “We can take disgustingly cute couples pictures around the palace and make everyone gag.”

Jackson makes a fist and coughs into it two times. “I already said I feel a little bit under the weather. I’m just going to get some rest while you guys go have fun.”

Mark’s frown deepens as he crosses his arms. Jaebum spots this just as he’s about to exit the ship with the rest of the crew.

“C’mon Jackson,” he says as his arm leans across Mark’s shoulders. “Are you really going to miss out on the chance to tour a castle? You don’t even look that sick.”

The irritation slows grows on the shorter man’s face, until his annoyance spills out in an outburst. “I said no! Okay?” Both Jaebum and Mark flinch back from the depth of his baritone voice. Jackson sees the slight fear he caused and immediately feels regret. “There’s not much to see anyway, I’m sure. I’m going to my room.”

Mark and Jaebum are left to watch his retreating form with sad eyes, nothing to dispel the air of confusion Jackson’s outburst brings.

Before the elevator doors close, Jackson looks up with a clean slate, all emotion wiped from his face. “Just tell me when we leave.”

Jackson disappears from view, leaving the two friends stuttering over what just happened.

“Okay…” Jaebum whistles, turning to Mark. The doctor looks downtrodden, like he’s just been kicked in the stomach. “Is everything alright between you guys? You guys aren’t having problems are you?” They step off the platform and onto the dewy grass. Since the number of people they were transporting was so big, they were given permission to use one of the palace’s landing pad to an even closer trajectory.

“I don’t think so,” Mark admits, following the path next to Jaebum behind the rest of the crew. “Everything was fine until last night, then he just started acting a little weird.”

“Maybe it’s the drastic change in the season,” Jaebum guesses, for lack of a better answer. He hates seeing Mark upset, and he hates it even more when the two are having couple’s problems. The last time it happened the two didn’t speak for weeks, using Jaebum as a go between. He felt like Hermione and wanted to yell out, “I AM NOT AN OWL,” but did it for the sake of his friends and their relationship.

Mark hums in response, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

The outside of the castle looks like something from out of a Hollywood movie. The grand structure blows anything they’ve got on Earth out of the water. It’s pristine beige walls extend at least thirty feet into the air. The castle is long enough that no end seems to be in sight. Jaebum speedwalks ahead of the rest of the crew to lead them up a series of beautiful stone steps surrounded by fields of green and blues.

“I was beginning to think you had left me to greet them myself,” Jinyoung nods when Jaebum finds himself in step with him. He grins shortly, and Jaebum gets so lost in the sweetness of it that he nearly misses the next step.

He fumbles but manages to right himself before he could trip over his own two feet. He stands back up to see Jinyoung smirking at him.

“Feeling a little distracted, _Captain_?”

Jaebum scoffs, the little shit. “There would have to be something worthy of distracting me, _Commander_.” That’s another thing that has come out of their kiss. Everything is oddly flirty. It was flirty before, but mostly because Jaebum tended to talk that way with everyone. Jinyoung would have usually ignored it, but now, he feeds into it. And sometimes, even brings it on himself.

They reach the gate to the castle, and are met by one of the nobles and a woman who looks to be a maid. 

 “Greetings,” the noble, most likely a servant, announces. He extends his hand out to Jaebum and Jinyoung, “You must be Captain Im and Commander Park. My Lord and Lady have been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

Having a King and Queen wait on them is something new, and Jaebum likes the feeling of it. “We have been excited to meet with them too,”

“Then I trust your meeting will go smoothly,” the servant gestures towards the young woman who accompanies him. “This is Minhee. She will be showing your crew around the palace while I escort the both of you to the throne room.”

For a second there, Jaebum had almost forgotten that they were actually going to meet royalty. Like, and actual King and Queen. The closest he’s ever gotten to a royal highness was in the stories his father would tell him when he was young, of knights fighting in conquest to rescue the fair princess. But this isn’t his dad’s olds stories. This is real, and Jaebum needs to stand straighter and present himself formally. 

Jinyoung’s already mastered that part, following the male servant quietly with his hands tied around his back. Jaebum tries to gage his emotions so he can mirror them. Jinyoung’s had more experience dealing with prestigious people, so Jaebum will let him handle any formalities - if need be.

The long marble hallways are lined with expensive renaissance paintings and strings of gold bouquets line the shining pillars. There’s a knight in a black suit of armor in front of every pillar, and they walk along a carpet of red wine linen. The old Jaebum would have felt the greed and demanded he leave immediately, but now that he’s been experienced to the world, Jaebum finds himself appreciating the glamorous lifestyle the royals lead. This life isn’t for him, but he remains in awe of his surroundings.

They reach what seems to be the doors to the throne room, the servant peeking his head through and whispering in a hushed tone to someone inside. He nods, turning to the pair and gestures for them to follow. Jaebum gulps, suddenly finding himself very inadequately trained to handle royalty.

When the accented doors open, Jaebum and Jinyoung are met with a spacious room lined out before them. The walk along the velvet red carpet, and at the opposite side of the room sits the King and Queen, dressed to the nines in their formal robes. There’s an empty chair to the right of the King, so whoever’s it is must not be attending. Either way, it’s truly a sight to take in; Jaebum thinks it will be a good memory to look back on when he’s older and has kids.

“My Lord and Lady,” the servant addresses his masters eloquently. “May I present to you Captain Im and Commander Park of the Starship Got7.”

Jaebum awkwardly nods his head in salute. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Jinyoung shift, glancing over to see the vulcan getting down on one knee to bow his head in formality. Jaebum mentally slaps himself in the head for being such an idiot and bends down as well.

“Please,” the King’s voice wraps around him like a sweet ribbon of golden honey. “You may rise. On behalf of my entire kingdom, we are pleased that Starfleet could send you out on such short notice.”

Once Jaebum gets to his feet, coherent words begin forming in his head instead of _ohmygodthisisarealkingandhe’stalkingtomewhatthefuck._

“We are pleased to be here, sir,” Jaebum says, but Jinyoung coughs and widens his eyes, telling him he’s said something wrong. “I mean uh, your Highness! We are pleased to be here your Highness.”

Jaebum shoots Jinyoung a look that says “thanks” and Jinyoung sends one back with a “nice save.”

The King rises from his throne in the middle of the room to stand in front of Jaebum. The man is only an inch or two taller than him, but he’s suddenly feeling very nervous as he looms over.

“I am not one to beat around the bush,” the King begins. “Why don’t we jump into this deal right away with my advisor.” Another nobleman steps into the room from the shadows, Jaebum questioning how long he’d kept himself hidden. “Now, our land is rich in many things, but oil is not one of them. We can grow corn and potatoes to last us a lifetime, but we dare not hit a single drop of black gold.”

America and other countries of the world used to have that problem too, until some old western boys struck oil down in Texas, causing one of the earth’s biggest oil booms.

“We may look like a society that shies away from technological advances,” the elder continues, pacing back and forth. “But we have many cargo ships and transport systems. So it will not be a problem shuttling you your share of the yield. I just need to know what Starfleet has in mind.”

According to what the Starfleet Admirals had given him in their proposal, the trade is supposed to be once a year, that way neither of them have to send continuous ships across the galaxy multiple times. Each shipment will be full of a year's supply of oil, which means the Suclorians will have to ration what they get equally. Oil is finite, and earth takes it as a main priority.

The Queen steps down from her chair, standing on the other side of the royal advisor as he maps out the deal on a long scroll. “We shall need to send someone with the shipment to meet the earthlings and oversee everything,” she implores.

Both the advisor and her husband regard the idea for a moment, the King stroking his thin beard in thought. 

“How about the Princess?” The advisor suggests. “She has been wanting to take on more responsibilities, why not give her this chance? It will give her an opportunity to explore the universe.”

King Ahn makes an impressed face, “The Princess? That is not a bad idea, sir. It would allow her to prove her capabilities as Commander in Chief over this kingdom.” He turns to Jaebum and Jinyoung clapping his hands together once. “So it shall be. My daughter will escort the shipments and meet with your people.”

The plan sounds good enough to Jaebum, who stands silent as he waits for the King, Queen, and advisor to finish rounding out the details amongst themselves. He means to ask if they should someone from Starfleet along with their shipments as well, but a sudden harsh alarm erupts into the room. It pounds continuously at the base of his skull, and looks from Jinyoung to the royals with his mouth gaping.

“WHAT IS THAT?” He shouts over the deafening noise. 

The King sets his jaw tight, “IT MEANS THERE IS A FUGITIVE ON THE GROUNDS. IF YOU WOULD ALL EXCUSE US, WE MUST ATTEND TO THIS RIGHT AWAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERRUPTION, BUT WE WILL PICK THIS MEETING UP LATER. FEEL FREE TO WANDER AROUND THE CASTLE UNTIL I SEND FOR YOU.”

The King packs up his wife and advisor, quickly trotting through the room and out the doors. Jaebum and Jinyoung are left alone with buzzings in their ears, looking to each other in confusion.

“COME ON, LET’S GO,” Jaebum doesn’t want to be there any longer now that the meeting is being put on hold, and is more interested in seeing the commotion surrounding the so called fugitive who’s made it onto the palace grounds.

He tugs Jinyoung out by the end of his shirt sleeve because he apparently didn’t hear him, forgoing the opportunity to prevent both of his ears from bleeding.

By the time they’ve exited the throne room and caught up to the King the alarm has stopped, but everyone in the castle appears to be on high alert. Some of the crew litter the hallways, removing their hands from their ears as they speculate what’s going on.

“I told you not to touch it,” Yugyeom pushes at Bambam’s chest off to the side, but freezes in place when the King passes them. Jaebum gives them the sternest pointer finger he can because even though they may not have triggered the alarm, apparently Bambam still did something he probably wasn’t supposed to. And if he has caused any trouble, Jaebum will skin him.

The King stops in the middle of the foyer as a guardsman and half a dozen knights approach. “Have we figured out who it is yet?”

“We have your excellency,” informs the guardsman, and the halls fall silent. “It’s the Count. Count Jia Er.”

The Queen gasps, “The Count has returned? With what purpose?”

“We do not know as of yet, but my men have secured his arrest and are bringing him in now. Your Highness, we found him aboard the starship.”

Everything in that moment goes still, as everyone’s heads turn in the direction to face Jaebum. His mouth hangs open, with no clue of what’s going on. That makes no sense; if there was a fugitive on board they would have noticed and arrested them.

The King sees red, his fiery tongue spitting flames, “You have been harboring a fugitive of the law?!”

Jaebum panics, throwing his hands up. “No, we harbor no fugitive! I don’t even know who this Count Jia Er is, I swear!”

While Jaebum is telling the truth, the King seems to have already made up his mind. “Guardsman, arrest this man.” He looks Jinyoung up and down. “And his partner too.”

“Hey wait a second,” Jaebum is about two seconds away from knocking someone’s lights out. How dare this king try to say they’re harboring a fugitive with no proof, when it’s a man Jaebum’s never even heard of before. He clenches his jaw when one of the knights approaches him with handcuffs. “I swear to God if you lay one hand on me dude, I’m going to-”

“Captain please,” his first officer interrupts, arms outstretched easily as another knight secures the thick metal cuffs around his wrist. It’s times like these Jaebum wonders how Jinyoung can remain so calm. “It would be unwise to provoke them, as I am sure they will surely cut off our heads without any thought.”

Jaebum doesn’t even want to entertain the thought of either one of them being brought to some medieval guillotine, so he bites back his comments and holds his arms out with the fakest of smiles stretched across his face. The guard cuffs him, and not a second later the front doors to the palace slide open, revealing 3 rows of knights.

Five knights line the rows in front and back, with four in the second row. In the middle of the second row with two guards on both sides, a familiar mop of brunette hair trudges in with his eyes down cast. 

Jaebum knows there’s got to be some kind of mistake. “Jackson?”

He feels Mark step up next to him, body wracked with confusion and fear. “What the hell is going on?” All Mark cans see is his boyfriend in chains, and tries immediately to get to him. “You have no right to arrest him he’s done nothing wro-” the sharp pull of a sword has the words dying as a knight presses it against his throat.

Jackson looks up then, eyes hardening on the clanky pieces of metal that secures Jaebum and Jinyoung in place. If it worries him he says nothing about it, finally sending a cold glare at the King, who stands over him menacingly.

“For years we searched the galaxy for you. It was foolish to come back here,” the King then peaks at Jaebum over his shoulder. “The trade deal is off. Starfleet should learn that to have good relations, they should not withhold planetary fugitives.”

Jackson speaks before Jaebum has a chance to. “Starfleet has no idea who I am,” his voice is cold as he stares ahead with dead eyes. This isn’t the Jackson they’ve grown as a family with for the past year. He motions towards Jaebum and Jinyoung, “And neither do they. Release them.”

The King stands pensively, but the heavy set to his brow indicates his mind is already made up. “Their innocence will be proven when you are tried. Guardsmen, take them to the stocks until we are ready for them.”

Suddenly, there’s a guard on either side of both Jaebum and Jinyoung, gripping their biceps tightly within their grasps. Jaebum resists the urge to fight back, remembering what Jinyoung had said earlier. Everyone is in the same boat here, watching on with shocked expressions. Mark tries to intervene again, but the same knight keeping him at bay surges forward and presses his sword into his neck just deep enough to draw blood. He frustratingly gives up, helpless to the force the knights use to forcibly remove the three.

Jaebum is left searching Jackson’s face hoping he’ll turn around and give him _something_. Nothing that’s happening makes any sense, and Jaebum’s left in shackles for some reason he doesn’t understand. For all he knew, Jackson had never been on this planet before. But the way the King and Jackson spoke to each other -even if he referred to him by a different name- was so familiar it sent chills down Jaebum’s spine.

They had come here for a simple trade deal, and now Jaebum and two of his officers are being dragged out in chains for crimes they did not commit. He’s confused, scared, and angry.

 

 

Nothing about being imprisoned is fun. From the harsh smell of waste, to the only small window illuminating the concrete room, and to the metal that digs into their wrists. It’s hot and it smells terrible, and Jaebum is really thankful Jinyoung is calming him down, otherwise he would have already flipped his lid.

Jackson on the other hand, says nothing to either one of them. Well, it’s not like he could anyway, as he’s facing the opposite direction hunched over between the stocks that encase his head and hands. Jaebum and Jinyoung have a perfect view of his ass (unfortunately) from where they stand with their arms raised, shackled to the wall.

If Jackson really was this Jia Er person they kept speaking of, it would explain many things. It would explain why Jackson so nonchalantly was ushered into the palace, barely breaking a sweat as he refused to put up a fight. If he was not the person they spoke of, he would have acted a lot more outraged than he did. It also would explain why the helmsman was acting so weird the moments before the crew exited the ship. Jackson should have easily jumped at the chance to be with his boyfriend, but it seems he pretended to be sick in order for him not to be found out.

What Jaebum really wants to know is what Jackson has done to warrant a search party for his arrest and label him a fugitive.

“Jackson just…. Come on man you’ve got to give us something,” the cuffs scratch at his skin, so Jaebum stretches his wrist out for some relief. “You don’t have to tell us everything but you at least owe us an explanation as to why we’re in chains. What did you do, steal the crowned jewels? Don’t tell me you killed someone man.” Jackson gives no indication that he was even listening. Jaebum glances at Jinyoung, whose head rests against the wall with his eyes closed. He suddenly gets an idea. “If you don’t tell us I’ll….. I’ll make Jinyoung recite all of the Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics.”

Jinyoung pops his eyes open at the demand, quizative until he eventually catches on. “Aahhh. The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Copyright Elsevier Limited, all rights reserved. The first edition of the _Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics_ (ELL1), with R. E. Asher as Editor-in-Chief and J. M. Y. Simpson as Coordinating Editor, was published in 1994. It was intended to be ‘authoritative, comprehensive, internationa-”

“OH MY GOD BOTH OF YOU ARE SO ANNOYING,” the man bent over finally speaks out, silencing Jinyoung on the last word. He groans dramatically in his natural Jackson-Wang-way. “Remind me to never be alone with you two ever again.”

“Jackson.”

“Alright, alright! Just no more dictionary bullshit please!” Clearing his throat, Jackson tells them everything they need to know. “My real name isn’t Jackson Wang. It’s Wang Jia Er. I changed it when I left. I’m not from Earth either. I was born here, on Suclora.” He pauses to give them a chance to take in the information. “I was born into nobility a long time ago. My parents are… _were_ Count and Countess of land just outside the palace.” There’s a tremble in his voice, but neither the captain or commander say anything about it. “When I was 18 they stepped down from their titles and handed it to me, so I became ‘Count’ Jia Er.”

“So then why are you like, number one on their most wanted list?” Jaebum can’t help himself from asking. Even though it can’t be seen, Jaebum is sure by the tone of his sigh Jackson is rolling his eyes.

“I was engaged.”

The captain cannot contain the burst of laughter that escapes his mouth. “You what?!”

“Hahaha very funny. You heard me right. I was betrothed from the day I was born. And guess to who? Oh that’s right, the princess! And since the princess cannot marry outside of nobility, my parents made sure I was already in my position as count! Never mind that I was barely of legal age and just out of school. Suddenly, I had all this land to rule over, and I was to marry the princess and become a prince. And obviously, as you can figure out, I didn’t do that.”

“I couldn’t do that. I wasn’t ready for that responsibility, and I wasn’t going to marry someone I didn’t love. So I hotwired a transport cruiser and got the hell out of here. I went to Earth and changed my name to Jackson because I knew they would come looking for me.”

The definition of silence that fills the room is so stark that you could hear a pin drop. Jinyoung looks pained, like the confession wounds him.

“I am your oldest friend, and you did not ever mention this to me?”

“Jinyoung, I never told anyone. Not even Mark knows.”

“You should have said something,” Jaebum insists. “If you would have just told us, I could have turned the ship around and we would not be in this situation right now.”

“What, and back down from the deal? It was too important to Starfleet. I know I should have said something, but I never thought they would find me. They have a lot of new technologies that they didn’t before I left, so I guess they must have registered my presence somehow.”

With all this information, Jaebum bangs his head against the wall in frustration. So now because of Jackson’s warrant, they’re stuck in a situation out of their control, locked in prison on a planet they don’t know for god knows how long, with their crew left alone with no way of getting out. Everything is _great_.

Another round of silence stretches on, and Jaebum says the only thing that comes to his mind in this situation in hopes that he won’t go crazy. “You know, it’s always been a fantasy of mine to be tied up with two other hot guys, but this isn’t exactly what I had in mine.”

It works to some degree as Jackson tries (and fails) to kick him. Luckily his aim is off because he’s stuck facing the other way, leaving Jaebum laughing with his back against the cold wall.

Just then, like a miracle sent from heaven above, a rattling of keys is heard from down the hallway, and the doors rustles open. A guard in uniform holds onto the bars, but then a familiar face appears.

“Mark!” All three gasp in unison, surprised but overjoyed to see the doctor standing before them.

Mark drops down and his hands immediately fly to Jackson’s face, like it’s a reflex. “Jackson,” he says with sad eyes, sunken down from the last hours of worry. “I convinced them to let me see you, they’re gonna come get you soon for your trial. Everyone has been worried sick out there. Youngjae’s had like… three breakdowns already.”

“What about you?” He implores, unable to lift his head, so Mark meets him halfway.

“I’m fine, babe. It’s you who you should be concerned about, this plank of wood doesn’t look too comfortable.”

“Mark there’s something I have to tell you,” Jackson breathes out. “My name is-”

“Your name is Jai Er,” the doctor interrupts, titling his head so he looks his boyfriend dead center. “You were a Count here and arranged to marry the princess but you ran away which made you a criminal.” Jackson pales, dumbstruck. “I did my research while you guys have been locked up in here. You really are quite infamous.”

He snorts in response, rambling on, a thing he does when he’s nervous. “I’m sorry, I know I should have told you. I know you must be angry.”

“I was angry at first because you kept such a huge part of your life from me,” he confesses, brushing back the sweaty strands of hair that clings to Jackson’s forehead. “But I can be mad over this later. Right now all I’m focused on is getting you out of here so we can go home. I can’t lose you.”

While the statement would sound cringey if anyone else were to say it, Jackson preens, eyes shimmering down at his lover. Mark plants a chaste kiss upon his lips from the awkward position, and only backs away when Jaebum clears his throat. Mark doesn’t even look ashamed that he forgot they were there.

“What are our chances of getting out of this?” The captain asks, shaking the chains to emphasize the question.

The doctor rises from his kneeling position and gives the two the same look of clarity. Honestly, Jaebum is so so lucky that he has Mark to take control of things and keep the crew altogether.

“You both have a good chance of convincing the King of your innocence. But since Jackson broke actual laws, it’s going to be harder,” looking down at the man in question, he asks, “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“No,” Jackson coughs to alleviate some of the pressure on his throat. “But there is something I can use that would give me a fighting chance. It hasn’t been used in centuries, but it’s in the law that they can’t refuse it.”

 

 

The courtroom fills with chatter easily as the royal court convenes. It should be expected of course, when all of Jaebum’s crew is sitting in the seats directly to the side of where he stands with Jinyoung beside him. Jackson, since he is the main one accused, gets his own special spot at a stand near the front of the room while Jaebum and Jinyoung are at their own bench off to the side. The cuffs they replaced are digging into his skin harder, and he can only guess how much more Jinyoung’s fairing since his skin isn’t as tough as Jaebum’s.

He finds Mark sitting with his hands between his thighs, jiggling them to keep his mind strong. Bambam sits with Yugyeom, the two idly chatting in hushed voices. Youngjae gives him a slight wave when they make eye contact, but Jaebum can only respond so far with the metal around his wrists.

The sound of the gavel banging steals his attention away from the crew. At the wooden desks of the judges sit the King, Queen, an older gentleman, and a young woman who could only be the princess Jackson spoke of. 

She is beautiful, there’s no doubt. With her shoulder length brunette hair and bangs that cascade just above her eyes, she and Jackson would have made a couple to be envied if he had gone through with the marriage. Jaebum wonders what Jackson’s life would be like if he stayed here; would they have fallen in love eventually? Would Jackson become one of the best rulers the planet’s ever seen? Would there have been kids by now?

The King stands up, and all thoughts of Jackson’s would-be life leave Jaebum’s mind, focusing on the fate of his own. 

“We will now begin the trial of the former Count of Xiaolin, Wang Jia Er, and his comrades, Captain Im and Commander Park of Starfleet. Wang has been accused of breaking Law 310, Section X of the Code of Nobility. Im and Park are accused of harboring a fugitive, a class D felony that has a sentence of up to five years in prison if found guilty.”

The trial commences from there, and Jaebum jiggles his leg to keep his mind off the growing anxiety he feels. He looks up when a warm hand envelopes his leg, squeezing comfortably just below his knee. Jinyoung stares straight ahead but nods his head, and Jaebum opens his legs a little wider so their thighs press together. Jinyoung doesn’t remove his hand, and Jaebum is thankful that the vulcan’s presence can anchor him. Even if they find them guilty of a crime they unknowingly committed, at least he’ll still have Jinyoung, and they’ll be able to navigate the situation together.

The King’s booming voice rings throughout the courtroom, “I shall call to the stand Judge Mathis, who will give the proceedings for Captain Im and Commander Park.”

One of the bad things about trials on this planet, as Jaebum found out, is that the accused are not offered their own witnesses or defense lawyers. There is no jury, and every statement and piece of evidence is given by the judges, so in most cases, the accused are (pun intended) royally fucked.

“The Captain and Commander of Starfleet face the charge of up to five years imprisonment for knowingly hiding a fugitive of our planet’s law,” says the older judge from where he stands facing the court. “However, I have monitored their activity while they were held captive, and have come to the conclusion that they held no previous knowledge of Wang’s identity, and merely believed him to be a citizen of Earth.”

The statement has both defendants sighing in relief.

  The Queen steps forward, “Based on the assessment presented, how do the defendants plead?”

“Not guilty.”

“Not guilty, your highness.”

And just like that, the King slams his gavel against the wood. “The court has found Captain Im and Commander Park not guilty of crimes against the crown. Guards, release them and escort them off the floor.”

There’s a round of applause and hooting from the crew as the chains binding them are unlocked and removed. Their wrists can breathe easier now without having harsh metal digging into the skin. Jaebum and Jinyoung are escorted to the side benches to sit with the rest of the crew, and all that’s left for the court to take care of is Jackson. He said he has a plan, but there is an evident, unfavorable bias towards him by the royal family.

“Wang Jia Er,” the King projects, and Jackson eyes never waiver from the man. “Law 310, Section X of the Code of Nobility states that ‘No man or woman of nobility shall refuse the duties assigned to them unless they are removed from their position by the King or Queen’. You have broken this law on two accounts of civic negligence when you hid yourself on Earth. The first account, you neglected your duties to the citizens of your county, and left no one in your place to rule. And secondly, you refused to serve Princess Hani as her husband, an agreement that had been in place between our families before you were even born. How do you plead?”

Jackson is guilty of all he’s accused of, but it still comes as a punch in the gut when he leans over and says with dead eyes, “Guilty.”

Jaebum pans over to Mark, who’s biting his nails out of nervousness. This is all a part of Jackson’s plan of course, but it does nothing to ease his nerves.

When the next person gets up to speak, all are surprised to see Princess Hani. “Jia Er, we find you guilty of crimes against the kingdom. The punishment for your crime is lifetime in jail. But I believe in second chances and do not wish you see you in jail for the rest of your life. Because your crime is committed against me, I am giving you the option of marrying me, like our parents had originally agreed upon.”

This is obviously what Jackson doesn’t expect to hear at all, mouth parting in surprise. Mark looks physically upset at the idea, and no one can blame him.

Jackson shakes his head slightly, but Hani presses the idea forward. “I know it is not favored by my parents, but I still care for you greatly, and I am giving you a way to live your life instead of wasting away in a cold cellar. And who knows, as time goes on and we become older, we might grow to love each other.”

Mark holds his tongue, stopped by Jackson who looks at him, and then back up at the Princess. “I’m sorry Hani, but I cannot accept your offer. My heart already belongs to another, and it would not be fair to pretend otherwise.”

Half of the courtroom turns their attention to Mark, who’s got his hands clasped and raised to his mouth, like he’s in a praying position. He ignores them in favor of watching his boyfriend, waiting for the court’s response.

If the Princess is offended, she doesn’t show it. “Then you choose life in prison?”

“I choose…” Licking his lips, silence falls as Jackson takes his stance against the people he ran out on long ago. “I choose to invoke the 10th Feudal Right.”

Gasps erupt from the Suclora citizens watching, and even the King pauses, eyes wide. Everyone except the crew of the Got7 seem to know what he’s referring to, and Jaebum wonders if this is all part of his master plan.

He looks to Jinyoung who’s sporting the same look of disparity. “What the hell is the 10th Feudal Right?”

 

 

“That’s the 10th Feudal Right?!” Jaebum gasps, squinting at Jackson, who only shrugs his shoulders. The 10th Feudal Right is apparently, a rule similar to “pleading the 5th” in the American justice system. Only, it’s a lot different, and more rigorous. Since the planet sticks to its medieval roots, the right employs a long held tradition of competition for those found guilty of their crimes. According to the rule, the guilty party will fight for his freedom in a series of tournaments based on whatever skill he possesses most. 

Since Jackson is proficient in fencing and sword fighting, he will go against the best in the kingdom. As per the rule, any and all volunteers are encouraged to take on the competitor, including the royal family. It’s harder than just simply pleading the 5th because it means Jackson will have to beat all of his competitors, and then possibly a royal family member to be able to go home freely. 

“I’m not worried about any of the knights or barons that go up against me,” they stand in the middle of a training arena with Youngjae, Bambam and Yugyeom, Jackson decked out in his white fencing uniform. While he’s free of his handcuffs and can wander anywhere he likes, he has to have five guards monitoring him at all times, in case he does something stupid like try to run away again. “I’m worried about Hani. I’m good with a sword, but she’s always been the best in our class. She might not volunteer, but if her parents tell her to, she will.”

“We’ll just have to make sure you win then,” Jaebum pats his shoulder, trying to be reassuring in a conversation he knows nothing about.

Jackson quirks his brow unimpressed, then lifts the fencing mask to hide his face. He positions his sabre towards himself, like he’s waiting for someone to tell him to begin. “Someone grab a sword and practice with me, I’m rusty.”

When no one makes a move, Yugyeom rolls his eyes and steps forward. “I still can’t believe you were a count,” he says stunned, sliding the metal handle so it fits snuggly in the palm of his hand. “You’re just so…. immature.”

Without any warning, Jackson whips his sabre in an ‘x’ motion and lunges forward. He gets Yugyeom when he’s not expecting it, the covered tip of the blade landing on the spot right above his waistline. Yugyeom startles and tries to dodge the shot, but ends up tripping over his own two feet. He lands on his butt with a soft thud, and the rest can’t help but chuckle. The young officer is left breathing hard as he stares down the weapon.

With his sword pointed directly in front of Yugyeom’s eyes, Jackson removes the mask. “I know. That’s the reason I left in the first place.”

The somber mood tells the rest that this isn’t a conversation they should be having now. Jackson replaces his mask and steps backwards at the same time the door to the mini arena squeaks open. Mark struts through, rolling what appears to be a practice dummy, sour look erasing his normally upbeat features.

He gets one look at Yugyeom on the ground and sighs, positioning the dummy with his hands and his hips. “Please, if no one is going to actually help Jackson, then get out. He doesn’t need any distractions.”

Mark is right, but no one pretends to ignore the cold shoulder he gives them. He’s upset and worried, which he has every right to be. Jaebum gets it, and finds no offense to Mark wanting them gone. Since the doctor has never acted like this towards them before, the youngest three on the other hand are taken back by Mark’s abrasive command. 

Jaebum steps in before the possibility of things getting heated, “We’ll get out of your hair, don’t worry.” He gestures to Youngjae and Bambam behind his back, and the two move in unison to pull Yugyeom to his feet. Jaebum places a reassuring hand on Jackson’s shoulder, “Practice well and make sure you get enough sleep.” Sighing, he faces Mark, “You too.”

The captain snaps his fingers and ushers the three youngest out, giving the couple some time to themselves to practice and be with each other. As soon as they are out the door, the three are running back into the west wing of the palace where the King had given them rooms to stay in for the night. It was a kind gesture considering this was the crew of people who worked with a criminal, but the Queen was adamant to show hospitality. The King even mentioned something about continuing the talks of the trade deal, since proving Jaebum and Jinyoung, and coincidentally, Starfleet’s innocence. The competition wasn’t until the morning, giving them all enough time to rest and let the volunteers sign up to try and beat Jackson.

Jaebum watches his youngest scurry off to savor the short time of luxury they have, deciding instead to wander about the grounds to clear his head. It’s been a long day of discovery and learning, not to mention he was literally arrested and let go all in a four hour time span.

 _Sunset should be soon,_ he thinks as he kicks the dead pinecones away on the path he follows. The air smells like crisp autumn leaves; he lets it full his lungs to the brim, taking in the scenery of the nature surrounding him.

He pauses mid step when he stumbles upon a small garden that sits a mere two feet from the edge of the palace gate. Jinyoung sits on a stone bench, surrounded by flowers in full bloom. The daisies and marigolds do nothing to detract Jaebum’s eyes away from Jinyoung’s otherworldly beauty, they only help to frame his golden cheeks and glistening eyes. The sight is so pure that he finds himself smiling before he even has a chance to say hello, wondering if the other man knows he has this much of an effect on him. Or if he knows that just his mere presence alone makes all of Jaebum’s worries fade to grey, like they never existed in the first place.

Jinyoung hears the crunch of the leaves as he walks up the path, not even flinching when Jaebum perches his behind on the bench next to him. They soak in the blooming crimson poinsettias for what seems like hours before Jinyoung peeks up at him from under his lashes.

“How is Jackson?”

Jaebum wills himself not to look at the other too soon. “He’s nervous.”

“And Mark?”

“I think he’s more nervous than Jackson.”

Jinyoung chuckles. “That would only be logical, as they are a pair.”

“Yeah,” the human starts, scratching the back of his neck. “They’re a pair of _something_ all right.”

Jaebum can’t see, but he can practically hear the eyes rolling back in Jinyoung’s head. “If it were not for Mark, Jackson would not have a viable reason to remain with us. I believe Jackson would choose to marry the princess, if it excluded him from being imprisoned. But since he has Mark, he has something to fight for. It is admirable.”

Jaebum preens. “Aww, Park Jinyoung the Romantic.” It could be the lighting from the descending sun, but Jaebum thinks he sees a pinkness forming on Jinyoung’s cheeks. 

“Call me what you will,” he says, stroking the petals of a white rose that cascades down it’s vine. “But the devotion humans have for each other is admirable, and the devotion Jackson and Mark have for each other extends past physical and mental realms.”

Jaebum cocks his head, “What, you think they’re soulmates? You believe in that stuff?” Jinyoung has obviously thought about this stuff a lot, and even though Jaebum might thinks it’s too deep for him, there’s still a part of him hoping one day he’ll find his, or if it’s sitting right in front of him.

“On my planet, we had a term for this, called ‘t’hy’la’. It is similar to the human concept of soulmates, but it is more concerned with the outside than the soul. T’hy’la means it transcends friendship, familial, and a lover’s bond,” the vulcan pauses to take a breath. “I originally believed that the idea was highly illogical, because how can two people be bound together, destined to be with each other before they have even met? But recently, I have started to think the concept truly exists.”

“Why’s that?” Gulping, Jaebum doesn’t know if he can take hearing the answer or not. “Because of Mark and Jackson, or because of some…” He lets his hand lead without warning, slowly inching his fingers over Jinyoung’s until they’re flushed together. “...personal reason?”

Jinyoung threatens to give himself whiplash by how fast he rotates his head ninety degrees. His eyes seem to analyze every inch of where their hands touch before stealing Jaebum’s breath away when he gazes at him. The wind picks up, blowing a few of his ungelled black strands down against his forehead. His eyes dilate as they adjust to the dimming sky, the brown hues a sea of whiskey for Jaebum to drown in.

Jinyoung turns away, linking their fingers together. “Both.”

Jaebum is satisfied with that answer, even if they just leave it at that. They’ll have more time to talk about what everything means for them later. Neither of them break the contact they hold, not even when the sun disappears and they’re left in moonlit shadows. Their hands stay linked through the garden and up the path as they walk back to the palace, not caring if anyone sees them.

Their hold on each other breaks only when Jaebum walks Jinyoung back to his room. They say their goodnights, and Jinyoung keeps the door open just a second longer so he can fold his palm along the left side of Jaebum’s face. They don’t kiss; Jinyoung only rubs the pad of his thumb over the corner of Jaebum’s mouth before traveling up to brush down a tuff of his hair. 

“Goodnight, Captain.”

Jaebum pulls away at the same time Jinyoung does, smiling sweetly as the rumble in his chest beats in unison with his breathing. He’s not disappointed they haven’t kissed again. Afterall, they’ll get plenty of time to navigate their relationship once Jackson wins the tournament tomorrow.

“Goodnight, Commander.”

 

 

Even though Jackson is nervous, he pretends not to be and absolutely crushes the competition. With everyone from the kingdom, ship, and palace in attendance, he pours every second of time spent fencing into his crafted art. 

He faces lords from the hill countries, and young bishops from the nearby churches. He beats a number of challengers in the sword fighting aspect, missing a close call when the edge of his opponent's blade strikes down against his shoulder in the junction not covered by armor. It bleeds but Jackson fights on, defeating the crop farmer in a score of 5-1.

The King and Queen look none too happy to see Jackson winning, but the crowd applauds him each time the gong of victory is rung. The crew is right by his side, Jaebum, Mark, and the others at the sidelines waiting to high-five and hug him after each win.

As the competition wears on and he’s overcome nearly two dozen opponents by now, Jackson looks ready to pass out from exhaustion. He could break any moment now, but pushes the pain aside to take on who appears to be the last competitor, the Duke of Theems. 

The Duke nearly overpowers him with his sharp fencing skills, swiping his sabre too quickly for Jackson to register. It lands the Duke at four points and Jackson down by one. If the Duke gets just another point, he’ll have won the match and Jackson will be in jail forever.

The referee screams, “Allez!” and the Duke lunges, but Jackson is strong enough to block his weapon. He steps forward and does a counter attack, tieing their scores. For the last round, Jackson does a two-step combo, but fakes his lunge. The Duke does not anticipate this and moves to block, so Jackson takes the chance to spin his sabre around to strike below the man’s neck. It earns him his last point and a winning match. 

Jackson rips his mask off and throws his hands up in victory, parading around the floor as he screams in frustration and success. He runs to his friends who envelope him in a mess of tangled limbs and sweaty hair, only breaking their huddle when the King speaks.

“Is there anyone else who shall volunteer to take on this man?”

But no one speaks are raises their hand. The silence drifts on for a moment, and they think they’ve done it. Jackson will get to go home and he and Mark can figure everything else out along the way.

But the King looks to his daughter, and she nods her head. Standing up, she addresses the entire arena.

“I volunteer to take on Wang Jia Er. But I am not a woman of unreason, and I believe in fair competition. We shall duel tomorrow, when you have regained your energy. This tournament is adjourned.”

*** _To Be Continued_ ***

 

 


	8. Ep. 7: Return to Tomorrow Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I planned this little surprise I hope you guys like 2 updates in one day :)

Stardate 2050.307

 

Apparently, the arrival of the Starship Got7 and everything surrounding Jackson’s arrest and trial falls directly linear to a long standing holiday the Suclorians celebrate called, “Lulerain”. It’s eerily similar to the spring equinox celebrated on Earth, only held more prestigiously. It marks the turning of the season into spring, as the length of day and night differ slightly.

As per tradition, the palace hosts an honorific banquet and ball to countdown the moments until the sun passes directly in front of the celestial equator. As the night of Lulerain falls directly on the day of Jackson’s tournament, Jaebum and the crew are invited to the festivities. It seemed a little counter intuitive to feed and take in the company of the man they want to imprison, but this world is so different and has it’s own customs that Jaebum sees no point in questioning it.

Jackson unfortunately, doesn’t attend, even though it’s his home planet and a celebration he’s familiar with. He decides to spend the night practicing for tomorrow’s match against Hani, which means Mark won’t attend the festivities either. They all understand the stakes are high for Jackson, and tomorrow is the deciding point for the rest of his life, so no one complains when neither of them show up. Plus, this very well might be their last night together.

Because of the sheer size of their crew and how many additions that would make to the dinner table, only Jaebum and Jinyoung are asked to join the banquet, mostly in apology for holding them in prison while they were innocent.

The dress is formal attire, which makes things difficult for Jaebum as he’s never owned a suit in his life, sans the one he had to wear for his dad’s funeral when he was five (which by now would definitely not fit him). So he has to borrow one from Jinyoung, who’s the only one closest to his size.

The suit is made from a deep garnet material, paired with a tight black button-up underneath (which was the one thing he did happen to own). Since Jinyoung isn’t as broad as him, it’s a smidge tighter across his shoulders, but other than that nothing major. He styles his hair up with a few wispy bangs cascading down his forehead, checking himself in the mirror before he goes to find his first officer. He looks good, and he’s hoping Jinyoung will say something too.

He grabs the matching tie at the last minute and sloppily wraps it around his neck. He’s never tied a tie before but thinks… it looks okay? _Yeah, should be fine._

He heads down the corridor to where Jinyoung’s room is at the end of the hall. He oddly feels like a senior in high school going to pick up his prom date, even though it’s not really a date and the whole thing is a reconciliation plus a holiday they’re not even a part of.

So he really shouldn’t be nervous when he knocks on the door and Jinyoung yells for him to come in, or when Jinyoung stands before his own mirror combing his hair into place.

It sounds cheesy, but Jaebum suddenly feels weak at the knees when Jinyoung turns to him and clasps the top two buttons of his double-breasted black jacket. He’s not done anything special except change into different clothes, but the man looks straight out of a high fashion magazine.

Jaebum’s mouth hangs open partially, so much so that Jinyoung chuckles and turns his head down to blush.

“What is that earth saying, ‘You’ll catch flies with your mouth hanging open like that’?”

The older flushes with embarrassment, snapping his mouth closed before he makes even more of a fool out of himself. “Y-you look good,” he stutters, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean you always look good, but-”

“But, it is nice to see me wear something other than my uniform?” The vulcan finishes for him, quirking his brow. He gives Jaebum a slow once over that has him melting in place. His eyes get caught on the messy work of his tie, clicking his tongue and he moves closer to fix it. “You look nice as well. I am sure you will receive the attention from all the young maidens.”

They only stand about a foot apart from each other as Jinyoung undoes the knot and rearranges the material, but Jaebum is hyper aware of his presence and the warmth spreading to his toes. He swallows, “And what about you?”

Jinyoung’s eyes never waver from where his hands work, but a faint blush lingers on his cheeks. “I can assure you Jaebum, you do not have to look like this to get my attention.”

Jaebum nearly falters, but catches himself at the last second before he does something stupid like kiss Jinyoung or something when they haven’t even talked about their relationship yet. “Good,” he wants so badly to tug Jinyoung in by the waist to kiss the life out of him and tell him how much he loves him, but Jaebum refrains for the time being. Later, after this whole thing is over, they’ll have all the time in the world to figure this thing out.

Eventually Jinyoung finishes the tie and straightens it out. It looks awkward with the rest of the outfit, so he untangles it from Jaebum’s neck and folds his collar back down. “It will look a lot better like this,” for added measure, Jinyoung unbuttons the top buttons on Jaebum’s black shirt and opens it out.

Before Jaebum can question his styling choice, Jinyoung brushes past him and mutters in a low voice, “Let’s go.”

 

 

The dinner is immaculate. They’re served baked quail and other fancy foods Jaebum has never been able to afford, or even heard of. The meal is delicious and he savors every bite, but can’t help but feel out of place as he sits at the long table filled with actually royalty. The lords and ladies of the country are nice to them at least, and do not act like he or Jinyoung are below them. They ask him all sorts of questions about what it’s like captaining a ship, and yes, the women definitely seem to be taking a liking to him, like Jinyoung said.

Jaebum answers them sweetly and revels in the attention he receives, and when one countess comments on how he should live amongst the royals with his beauty, he tells her that’s impossible considering all the women here are on another level of loveliness, and can’t imagine that any of them are unwed. They coo at him, and then he feels a hand squeeze the base of his knee. Jinyoung shines an obvious fake smile at the women and continues to shovel his food down. Jaebum knows immediately that the man next to him is jealous, even if he has no reason to be. It’s cute, and he would keep it going but he really wants Jinyoung to continue considering them something more.

When the dinner is over the King himself escorts everyone to the ballroom, where the rest of the ones not in attendance to the banquet are waiting. Jinyoung tells Jaebum he will meet him there, wanting to sneak a plateful of leftovers out to Mark and Jackson so they have something to eat for the night and he can check on them.

The ballroom is something out of a fairy tale. It stretches from end to end with porcelain tiled floors and pillars with golden accents. Hung from the ceiling is a grand chandelier that’s worth more than all of them combined, trimmed with diamonds and candles that cast shadows along the room. An orchestra at one corner of the room begins playing a soothing melody, and at the other corner a small bar sits with a few people muddling around. It’s the only thing on his mind as he craves something alcoholic to help take his edge off. It’s a nice night before the storm hits, and he wants to forget his worries.

He downs a glass of white wine in record time, much to the impressed look of the bartender. The liquid warms his belly and he spins in his seat to spot the two familiar figures of Yugyeom and Bambam off in their own little world. His eyes glance down, and that’s when he notices their hands interlaced together. The alcohol couldn’t have worked that fast, so he blinks a few times, only to be met with the same picture. It could be just a friend thing, but Jaebum and the rest of the crew have seen how badly Bambam has been pining for Yugyeom for the last half of the year.

Yugyeom catches his gawking eyes, and leans down to whisper something to Bambam. Yugyeom leaves the other to make his way to where Jaebum sits, and he vaguely registers that he was blatantly staring at him. He pretends to mind his own business when Yugyeom asks for two glasses of wine and takes the chair next to him, but the curiosity is eating him alive.

“So…” he singsongs as his glass is refilled. “Why are you suddenly holding Bambam’s hand?”

There’s an evident blush on the younger’s cheeks, and he coughs to clear his throat. “Bambam uh, confessed to me last night.”

“He did?!” Jaebum nearly spits his drink out. He didn’t think Bambam would ever get the courage to do it. In fact they were taking bets on whether or not it would happen, and it appears Jinyoung has won. “God, I thought he was just going to pine after you forever.”

“You knew!?”

“Of course, Gyeomie. We all knew. It was so obvious he had a thing for you. Anytime you talked to one of the female officers he’d get angry and stomp away. It was cute.”

Yugyeom sits back like his third eye's been opened. “How was it obvious to everyone except me?”

“Because,” the captain laughs, pointing at his chest. “You’re an idiot.” Yugyeom slaps his arm, but Jaebum lets it slide as he is the one who provoked him. “You’re an idiot, but Bambam likes you anyway. What did he say to you?”

The younger hums, recalling the memory. “I suggested we try to sneak around as many places in the castle as possible, but he said he wasn’t in the mood. I thought that was weird, so I asked him if anything was wrong. He said there was something he’d been thinking about lately, and it had to do with me. He said that coming here and seeing the possibility of Jackson and Mark being separated really made him wake up. He said, ‘Yugyeom, I don’t want to waste our time together and then regret it for the rest of my life.’ And then he confessed that he liked me and couldn’t live without me.”

“Wow,” it’s surprising, who knew Bambam had a way with words. “What did you think?”

“I was shocked, at first,” he admits, chuckling. “I didn’t know what to think. But I knew Bambam was my friend and I already loved him. I didn’t want to lose him, so I said we could try it out to see if I felt the same.”

It’s sweet, but if Yugyeom doesn’t feel the same it could crush Bambam. He hopes he does, in the end. They would make a cute couple and it would save any awkward air between the two.

“And? Do you feel the same?”

The ensign smiles down at the two glasses in his hands before standing up. “I think so.”

Jaebum is left sitting alone after that, grinning to himself as he watches the pair link arms. Yugyeom’s rendition of Bambam’s words play over in his head, carving a well in his brain until they hit water. It hits him then, that Bambam is truly the most courageous person he’s ever met. He was able to confess his feelings for Yugyeom, something Jaebum has yet to do. He and Jinyoung have kissed once and broached the topic briefly enough to understand that there’s something there, but Jaebum keeps putting off the inevitable. After watching the situation with Mark and Jackson, he realizes that some unknown force could swoop in and destroy their relationship before it even starts. He doesn’t want to miss his chance, because for all knows something could happen to either one of them at any time. It would drive him crazy if he missed his opportunity and wasted all this time.

So, downing his second glass, he decides that this is the night. The night he’s going to confess to Jinyoung everything he’s ever felt so they can be together as long as time allows them. He won’t do it right away, in the middle of the dance floor or anything like that. He’ll enjoy himself at the dance and then take Jinyoung alone and tell him everything. That way, it’ll give him a chance to actually think of what he wants to say.

He finally leaves the bar to watch the couples twirling on the dance floor, standing next to Youngjae with Yugyeom and Bambam on the linguist’s other side. If Jaebum knew how to dance, he’d consider joining someone. But he doesn’t, and with the alcohol he’s just consumed, it’s for the better.

On the opposite side of the room he notices Princess Hani swaying her head along to the music. She hadn’t spoken a word at dinner, and looks like she’d rather be by herself as she watches the others dance. When it comes down to it, Jackson’s fate ultimately lies in her hands. Based on tomorrow’s competition, Jackson will either get to go home or spend the rest of his life in prison.

Yugyeom and Bambam are happy, he and Jinyoung will be happy, but Jackson and Mark need to keep their happiness as well. That’s why he makes the split decision to confront her. If he can just get her to throw the competition, or just call it off in general, Jackson and Mark will be able to be together. There’s still a chance Jackson could win on pure talent tomorrow morning and walk out of here a free man, the chances are slim. Hani (in Jackson’s own words) could “slice you into a thousand pieces before you could even blink”.

Jaebum bows in respect when the princess catches sight of him. “Hello, your highness. We haven’t officially met, but I’m Captain Im of the USS Got7.”

“Yes, I am aware of who you are, Captain.”

“Oh,” right, the trial. That was a thing that happened. “Sorry, uh, ma’am.”

Hani snorts, covering her mouth, “Oh my god, you really have no clue how to talk to a royal do you?”

“Uhh guilty? I’ve never met one, and I only recently found out about Jackson so…”

“Yes, _Jackson,_ ” she repeats, and Jaebum remembers she only knows him by one name. “How is he doing?” The princess sounds almost concerned, but Jaebum can’t tell by the way she turns her head away in silence.

Maybe he can use this opportunity to his advantage. “I’ll be honest with you, he’s not doing to good mentally. He’s really scared for tomorrow, because he’s pretty sure you’re going to win. We’re all nervous.”

She nods, “Hm.”

“Actually,” Jaebum continues, holding his luck. “That’s why I came over to talk to you, uh, not that your company isn’t enjoyable. But, I was just… hoping you’d see reason if I asked you to call off the match tomorrow.”

Hani doesn’t laugh or call his idea stupid, for which he is grateful. In fact, it almost looks like she’s considering the proposal. “I do see reason, Captain Im. The reason to have the duel in the first place.”

“Please, he is a good man,” he thinks about begging on his knees. “I know he is your friend and you still care about him.”

Finally, Hani spins on her heel to face him, face full of color. “I have known Jia Er since we were in diapers. He was a good friend, of course I still care about him. And I do believe him to be a good man, but he still broke the law. All men who defile our written rules must face the consequences.”

That is true, even if the law sucks and the person is undeserving of it, but suddenly, Jaebum’s mind floats to Mark. “And what about punishing an innocent man?”

“As you already know, your _Jackson_ is not an innocent man Mr. Im.”

“You’re right,” he agrees, crossing his arms. His eyes go softer as he wills her to understand. Maybe if she won’t see reason with Jackson, maybe she’ll see it with Mark. “He’s not. But Mark is.”

Tilting her head, the princess asks, “Who is Mark?”

If only there was such an answer to that question. “Mark is Jackson’s boyfriend,” Hani looks taken back, like she wasn’t expecting to hear a man as Jackson’s current lover. “They’ve been together for almost a year now. If you win, and Jackson gets put away, you will be punishing a man who has committed no crimes accept loving someone who has.”

Hani looks away, biting her lip. He sees the gears grinding in her head, knows she’s thinking of the situation differently now. But the question is, will she help Jackson?

She looks back, eyes shining from a thin layer of liquid that wasn’t there before. “I have a duty to my parents and my people. I will face Jia Er tomorrow and do what is right for my family and for my kingdom. Please, have a good evening.”

The princess leaves him then, shimmering gold dress dancing across the floor as she moves to the opposite end of the room to talk to someone who will not question her morals. Jaebum almost feels bad; she’s in a hard position too, having to keep her duties to her family and carry out her role of princess. _It was worth a shot,_ he thinks, snapping his fingers in defeat.

The dance continues on like nothing happened, and Jaebum nearly forgets there are people waiting on him here, what with the alcohol kicking in. He has a pretty high tolerance so the two glasses of wine give him a little buzz at most, but after talking to the princess he feels like he needs something stronger to mellow his mind.

He’s surprised to find Jinyoung at the bar, Yugyeom and Bambam laughing near him. Jaebum wants to find out what’s funny too.

“Hey,” he notices the sour face Jinyoung sports, immediately concerned. He glares at the youngest, knowing they had something to do with it. “What did you two do?”

Bambam cozies up to Yugyeom’s side with his glass of wine, laughing into his chest. “We asked what drink had the highest alcohol content, and then bet Jinyoung wouldn’t drink it.”

Jaebum wants to ask what they were thinking, but remembers it would take much more than that to do serious damage since the vulcan’s metabolism is much higher than theirs. Still, there’s no telling how much a shot or two of something with a really high alcohol percentage will affect him.

“But I did,” Jinyoung projects, his face back to it’s regular chiseled self. “I had three, so you both owe me a thousand republic credits each.”

“You had three shots of what?” Yugyeom hands over the bottle. It reads: _Cocoroco, alcohol volume: 96%._ The glass nearly slips from his hands. “You had three shots of ninety-six percent alcohol?!”

Jinyoung shrugs like the words are in another language. “I am a vulcan, ninety-six percent is the lowest we get. And it was not three shots, it was three glasses.”

Jaebum’s mouth falls open even farther. “You drank….” He scoffs in disbelief, but also finds himself oddly turned on by the thought of Jinyoung being able to handle so much hard liquor. “Three glasses of pure alcohol? ”

Yugyeom and Bambam laugh in their own bubble off to the side, and Jinyoung looks at Jaebum inquisitively. “I shall be fine, I will only feel something if I take about,” he counts on the ends of his fingers, “two more glasses. Even then, it will not be enough to inebriate me.”

With all the wine swirling around in his system making his brain foggy, Jaebum thinks that’s the best thing he’s ever heard. “Okay then,” Jaebum challenges, searching through his wallet. The only thing he has is a note for ten thousand republic credits, but he pulls it out anyway with his mind made up. He slams it on the table, and reaches for a glass. “Take two more, and this baby is all yours,” he fills the crystal to the brim.

Yugyeom and Bambam’s eyes go wide from the dare, all waiting in silence until Jinyoung slips the bill off the table with one hand, and tips the glass out of Jaebum’s grasps and into the other. He smiles coyly, a sinister glint in his eye that Jaebum can’t make out. His senses are reaching the fuzzy stage of him being tipsy, so Jaebum registers it all too late when Jinyoung curls his hand around his waist, tucking the paper into his back pocket.

“I do not need your money,” he smirks, lifting the glass to his lips. All while his hand remains in Jaebum’s pocket, circling the seam. “I shall do it because you asked me to.”

As Jinyoung begins gulping down the clear liquid, his eyes remain unblinking as they bore into the captain’s. Jaebum registers how close Jinyoung’s face is to his lower body, and with the spirits coursing through his veins, he decides he very much likes the sight. Jinyoung’s cheeks are tinted pink by the time he finishes his fourth glass, indicating the alcohol is already affecting him, whether he’d like to admit it is or not. It would explain why he’s so eager to drink more when Jaebum asked him to, and why his actions are more… sultry.

Yugyeom and Bambam are no longer there, slaves to the wonder called the “chocolate fountain”. Which is good, because they wouldn’t see Jaebum’s lust-driven mind tell his hand to reach out and wipe the excess liquid from Jinyoung’s chin and suck it into his mouth. Jinyoung’s eyes follow the movement, his black pupils dilating. Whether it’s from the alcohol or Jaebum’s sexual prowess, he’ll never know.

“I think I need to be on your level,” the human says, ushering the bartender to pour him a shot of something way less abrasive. When their glasses are full -his of vodka and Jinyoung’s of cocoroco- they clink them together in a celebratory way before throwing them down the hatch.

 

 

It’s a full half an hour later, and Jaebum is drunk. He would have been fine if he had left it at that last shot, but no, Yugyeom and Bambam had coerced him into another and Jinyoung had begged him to take a sip of the cocoroco. He knew as soon as the bitter drink touched his tongue he’d made a mistake, but still gave in to the peer pressure. (And who could blame him, since Jinyoung was giving him a look of pure amazement). He’s scarfed down a glass of water every chance he gets (or when he remembers to), so the hangover in the morning won’t hit him as hard.

That’s how he finds himself in the bathroom for the third time that night, leaving his band of brothers to fend for themselves as the nobles parade around with their noses stuck in the air. He sloppily washes his hands and dries them with a towel, resting his head on the wall to do so. There’s a man next to him undoubtedly cringing at his trashed state, but Jaebum refuses to acknowledge it. He’s a Starfleet captain, and can’t have them thinking of him as unprofessional, even though this is one of those moments he’ll live to regret the next day.

He exits the bathroom, using the tunnel vision the alcohol is giving him to try and spot one of his various crew members. He’s not ugly drunk; he’s consumed so much more alcohol than this in the past. He can still walk fine, but everything feels tingly and is getting increasingly hotter. The spirits cause a red flush on his cheeks as the liquid warms his belly. He might be drunk but he feels free, and suddenly nothing about Jackson’s impending doom tomorrow morning fazes him.

Someone’s shoulder knocks into his side, causing Jaebum to sway back and forth. His feet get tangled together and he holds his arms out, bracing for impact. Luckily, he stumbles at just the right angle and lands up against a pillar that extends from the floor. A few people around him startle from the sound of the collision, one woman even asking if he’s okay. He tries to play it off like he meant to do it, not bothering to care if they believe him or not.

“God I’m drunk,” Jaebum whispers to know one in particular, resting against the cream pillar. He feels a tug at the end of his jacket and spins around to find Youngjae’s brazen eyes throwing daggers at him. The officer looks rightfully annoyed by Jinyoung, who leaches from his arm. Jaebum grins bashfully when Jinyoung comes into view clinging to Youngjae’s side, but is also confused by the young officer’s annoyed glare.

If Jaebum is drunk, then Jinyoung is on a whole nother level. All the glasses of _pure_ alcohol he drank hit him a lot faster and harder than he, or any of _them_ knew was possible. He’s been a stumbling, rambling mess throughout the night, and Jaebum was keeping watch over him -until he had to use the bathroom. Then he put him in Youngjae’s care, hoping Youngjae’s sobriety would rub off on Jinyoung. It didn’t.

“Captain this belongs to you,” peeling Jinyoung off, Youngjae all but tosses him at Jaebum. “Please take him I can’t deal with him anymore.”

Jinyoung’s lips turn up into a defensive pout, “But Youngjae you are so pure and it is my job to protect you. You are my favorite officer and I love you.”

Another thing that comes with Jinyoung being really drunk is that while he feels carefree, he lets out his feelings easier and has been proclaiming his love to every crew member for the past thirty minutes. He’s tackled Yugyeom (to everyone’s surprise), Wonpil, some of the female crew, and now Youngjae’s on the receiving end.

Jinyoung reaches out to grab at Youngjae again, but the linguist only spins him around and pushes him into Jaebum’s chest.

“That’s great, but you love Jaebum more so go to him.”

Jaebum would scold Youngjae if he wasn’t highly intoxicated and reeling from the mention of his name and ‘love’ in the same sentence. Jinyoung grabs Jaebum’s hips to steady himself, all while smiling up at him with the stupidest grin.

“You are absolutely right, Youngjae.”

Jaebum tears his eyes away from Jinyoung when Youngjae scoffs, “Yah you weren’t supposed to agree with me! I’m too sober for this, make sure he passes out in his room. I have to go find Sana and make sure her and Momo aren’t fighting again.”

Jaebum doesn’t even process the fact that two of his officers might be fighting, Jinyoung holding onto his waist like they’ll be ripped apart any second. _Really smart move Youngjae,_ he thinks, _put a drunk vulcan in the care of a drunk man._

Yep, this plan is foolproof. Nothing will go wrong.

Jaebum notices the flushed pink Jinyoung sports all the way up to his pointed ears, and how he’s smiling with nothing to tell him otherwise. Even though he’s standing still he wobbles, clutching onto Jaebum for dear life.

“God,” he says behind his snicker, holding the vulcan up by the shoulders. “You’re really trashed right now.”

Jinyoung covers his face with his hands before hiding in the crook of Jaebum’s neck. “I may have… _underestimated_ how much it would take to get me inebriated.” His voice vibrates in Jaebum’s ear, and they’re pressed so close together than it sends a thrill down his spine.

Jinyoung tries to push himself back but somehow ends up losing his balance, crashing into Jaebum as they both fall back onto the pillar Jaebum was resting on. Their hands get wilder as they cling to each other and as Jaebum braces himself so neither of them fall to the floor. They look even sloppier now, catching the attention of a few heads. Even though he’s out of it, Jaebum understands when sloppy gets annoying, and he doesn’t want the night to be ruined for any of these people.

He decides it’s time to take Jinyoung back to his room, that way no one will have this image of him lingering in their brains for much longer, and it will save them and Starfleet the embarrassment.

“I think it’s time to go to bed, Jinyoungie,” Jaebum slurs, hosting the younger man’s arm over his shoulder. He slings his arm around Jinyoung’s waist for more support, and luckily both of their legs get to working properly.

“Mmmm,” what could only be describes as a moan is breathed into his neck. “I believe you are right, Captain.” Jinyoung giggles cutely (making Jaebum’s insides melt even worse because he’s drunk), and drags a hand across his stomach. “You are always right, my lovely, lovely captain whom I love and appreciate.”

Like lightning strikes him, Jaebum feels a burst of energy -and something else- shoot up to his ears. It makes his heart pound even harder, Jinyoung rambling on about something incoherently where they blend together. If he wasn’t so focused on getting them out of there in one piece, he would have already pushed him against a wall and kissed him senseless.

They pass by a few officers who marvel at them with shocked expressions, mostly at Jinyoung’s delirious state. Some of them cover their mouths in giggles, but neither of them say anything about the attention -they’ll have plenty of time to soak in the embarrassment later when they can’t actually register what’s going on around them.

It is a chore -to say the least- for Jaebum to get both of them to Jinyoung’s room without landing face first on the ground. His coordination is off, but luckily not as bad as the vulcan’s on his arm, so he manages to get them to their hallway with only a few minor mishaps.

At Jinyoung’s door, Jaebum props the vulcan on the wall, keeping one hand steadying him while the other reaches for the knob. _Locked_.

“Give me your keys.”

“ _Keeeeeeyyss?_ ” Humming from where he barely holds himself up, Jinyoung pats the area near his pants zipper. When he finds nothing he gives up, his arms go limp, and he manages to smile coyly. “I believe they are in my back pocket.”

Jaebum would roll his eyes if he wasn’t in a hurry to get them out of the hallway. His face heats up anyway as he slips his hand into Jinyoung’s back pocket, the touch burning red hot under the commander’s heavy gaze as they eye each other silently. The keys are thankfully there, but one problem remains: Jaebum’s perception is way off. He keeps missing the keyhole, repeatedly, aim just slightly off.

It wouldn’t be that much of a problem is Jinyoung hadn’t attached himself to his back like a koala, breathing hard down his neck. Jaebum’s hands shake from the building tension, feeling the other leave no room between their bodies.

“Jaebuuuuuuummm,” Jinyoung sighs with content, pinching his hips. “The correct way to unlock the door is to put the key in the hole. Just put it in the hole.” Jinyoung snickers and drowns his laughter in Jaebum’s shoulder, both realizing the crudeness behind the request.

Jaebum thinks he’s got the damn keyhole figured out and is ready to turn the lock, but a familiar voice startles the metal right out of his hand and onto the floor.

“Are you guys having a good night?” Mark singsongs, crossing his arms with a distinct smirk on his face as he stumbles upon their predicament. His brunette locks drip down his forehead like he’d just gotten out of the shower.

“M-Mark!” Jaebum tries to play off cooly as best he can with Jinyoung refusing to leave his back. “How’s Jackson’s er, uh practicing going?”

“It was good. He’s asleep right now,” squinting, Mark balances himself of the wall and gives them both one long look from head to toe. “Sooooo, how’s everything going with _you_ guys?”

Mark’s really speaking way too fast for him to understand right now, but Jaebum’s able to process the last couple of words. “I’m just…Taking Jinyoung to……....Bed.” At the raise of the doctor’s eyebrows, Jaebum realizes what he’s just said, and fuck it if Mark doesn’t already know about his oh so eloquent crush. “Wait, n-n-n-noooo, not like that, I swear! Jinyoung’s just really drunk, I was helping him to his room.”

The smaller man just laughs like it’s the funniest thing in the world, the high pitched laughter that reminds him of a child. “Jaebum, you don’t have to explain anything to me,” he says through giggles. “God Jinyoung, you’re drunk? I never thought I’d see that.”

Jinyoung, from where he’s got his face pressed to the back of Jaebum’s jacket mumbles into the fabric, unable to meet the doctor’s gaze. “I may have consumed, much more than I could handle.”

“Geez, you’re really gone,” he grins, patting the vulcan on the back. “Man I wish Jackson was awake to see this.”

“Ahhhhh please do not wake him up, I have a strong feeling I will regret every second of this in the morning.”

When Mark is done laughing at them, he gives Jaebum a thumbs up out of Jinyoung’s view. “Well I guess I’ll leave you to take Jinyoung to _bed._ ” He runs off before Jaebum can give him his utterly-non-intimidating-now-because-he’s-drunk death glare.

He feels Jinyoung giggle into his shoulder, gripping his hips so tight that bruises could form. Jaebum picks up the keys from the floor and successfully unlocks the door on the first try. As soon as they’re in the room he detaches the vulcan from his body and plants him on the bed.

“I’m gonna get you some water, okay?” Regardless if Jinyoung agrees or not, Jaebum knows he _has_ to drink something besides alcohol if he doesn’t want to feel completely miserable tomorrow morning. He stumbles to the bathroom, grabbing one of the clear plastic cups from the sink to fill with tap water. He takes a sip himself to keep his cool, and as a reminder to not do anything stupid while they’re both in these states.

Jinyoung’s still sat on the bed when he returns, only he’s rid himself of his jacket tossed off somewhere to the side. He fiddles with the buttons of his tailored white undershirt, groaning in frustration when he can’t work them right.

“Jaaaaeeeebuuuummmm, can you help me take my shirt off?”

Jaebum’s face heats up at the request, but he pretends like the question doesn’t make his skin tingle. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m drunk too.”

“But you are not as bad as me,” he pouts, jutting his lips out like a baby asking for candy. “Please, it is distractingly hot in here. I forgot inebriation came with such torturous side effects.”

Jaebum should put his foot down and say no, but even intoxicated he’s still a slave to the emotions Jinyoung makes him feel. “Fine, but only if you drink this glass of water after.”

The commander springs up from the edge of the bed wobbly, but manages to find his footing when Jaebum holds him steady (again).

“You are such a child,” he whispers, eyes never leaving the pinkness of Jaebum’s lips as he undoes the first button.

Jaebum watches his fingerwork undoing the line of buttons, the strip of Jinyoung’s tan skin revealing itself with every one tackled. When he gets to the last one, he gulps as it pops open, exposing inches of bare chest. With his fingers ignited he takes a chance looking up, “Says the man who couldn’t even get his shirt und- _oomf_.”

Jinyoung suddenly crashes their mouths together before Jaebum can finish his sentence. It steals the word he was saying right out of his mouth, along with the air that accompanied it. It takes Jaebum’s brain a second longer to process what’s happening before he musters up the power to kiss back. But by that time, Jinyoung is already pulling back with a drunken apology already forming on his tongue.

Jaebum doesn’t want that, because he never wants Jinyoung to feel sorry for kissing him. He’s been wanting to do it for so long after the birthday kiss that he wastes no time replacing his mouth where it was just seconds ago. Jinyoung grunts in surprise, but meets Jaebum halfway as their lips slide together in a heated game of tug of war.

Their kisses are sloppy at best, full of tongues and saliva, but it does nothing to disturb the sexually charged air. Because they’re both so drunk, they can’t focus on one thing to do. Jaebum tugs the shirt off Jinyoung’s back and paws at the toned skin of his chest and arms, while Jinyoung attempts to undo the buttons of his wine-colored fabric trap.

Somehow he manages to get all of them but one undone, so Jaebum takes pity and finishes the job for him. They both laugh stupidly into each other’s open mouths, but Jinyoung waits not a second longer, making quick work to rid Jaebum of his jacket and shirt in one go.

Jaebum’s itching for the skin on skin contact, nervously pasting himself to Jinyoung’s front until every inch of them are touching. Once he feels that’s okay, he slots their hips together, snaking his hands down until they can feel Jinyoung’s ass under his palms. Jaebum rolls his body into Jinyoung’s for some friction, immediately feeling it in his lower abdomen, a sensation of pleasure crawling under his skin.

At the moment they’re partaking in foreplay in the middle of the room, which won’t do if they want to keep their balance. Jaebum doesn’t want either of them falling, and takes the opportunity to back Jinyoung up against the nearest wall, boxing him in. Jaebum slots his knee in between the commander’s legs, applying slight pressure to his crotch until Jinyoung moans. He chases the sound, sucking the moan until all he can do is feel Jinyoung on every inch of his skin.

Jaebum teases the vulcan slowly with the gradual grinding of their clothed semi-erections together until he’s panting like a dog in heat under him. Jinyoung must not like the teasing too much, eager to get on with things, because in a split second he takes control of the situation. It catches Jaebum off guard when Jinyoung pushes back and suddenly the back of his knees hit the bed and he’s toppling over.

He drags Jinyoung down with him, who plants his lips on every inch of Jaebum’s chest as he can like his life depends on it. What Jaebum didn’t notice before was the gold chain hanging around the commander’s neck, and the cold metal piece that descends from it, which must have been tangled up previously.

He would cry if he wasn’t so horny and his dick wasn’t straining in his pants begging to be touched. His breathing comes out in labored pants, “You’re wearing that damn necklace I gave you?”

Jinyoung looks up with blown pupils from where he sucks a mark into the skin above Jaebum’s nipple. “I wear it everyday.”

He knows there’s more to be said, but Jaebum can’t find the right words, and the alcohol mixed with lust isn’t doing anything to help him either. All he ends up saying is a heated, “Good,” before tugging Jinyoung back up to him. They find each other’s lips again and get lost in a sea of sexual longing, spending what seems like hours exploring the insides of each other’s mouths.

Jaebum can’t hold back his soft moan when Jinyoung grinds down into him, and while he’s reeling from the pleasure and desperately needs their naked bodies touching, there’s also one small problem.

He really has to pee. Like, the gusher is about to explode kind of pee that comes from guzzling down cups of water so you don’t have a nasty hangover in the morning. It doesn’t help that Jinyoung is on top rolling down into him, either. He knows if he doesn’t take care of this quick it’ll become a mess very soon, and he’s never been too into water sports before.

Reluctantly, he detaches his lips from the other’s. “Jinyoung,” he says as the vulcan attaches his mouth to the sensitive skin of his neck, making Jaebum wince. “This is kinda embarrassing and I don’t want to ruin the mood here, but I really need to pee. Could you get off me for just a sec?”

Jinyoung grunts in protest, but removes himself achingly slow when Jaebum pinches his butt. He stands from the bed on wobbly legs, noting the way Jinyoung sits expectantly on the side with hooded eyes. Whether it’s because he’s horny or tired, Jaebum doesn’t have time to calculate as the bathroom calls his name.

“I shall just wait here,” is the last thing Jaebum hears before he pads into the bathroom, and the last thing he sees before he shuts the door is Jinyoung lying back on the silk covers and stretching.

God, so they’re really going to do this, aren’t they? Jaebum would try to say “let’s wait”, but he can’t control a lot of his actions right now due to that blasted cocoroco. No, he’s going to live up to this drunk moment, even if it ends up being a mistake in the morning. He’s got a hot man who he loves out there waiting for him, so yeah, he’s going to savor this fine moment.

After he flushes the toilet he runs the cool water over his hands to wash them, because even in a drunk state he’s not about to be uncleanly. He doesn’t bother pulling his pants up, since by the way things are going they’ll probably end up on the floor anyway. He shimmies out of them and his ridiculously expensive shoes, dragging the dead weight of his legs out the door to Jinyoung, who has miraculously…… Fallen asleep.

He rolls his eyes and curses his luck by banging his head against the doorframe in blue-balled agony. He should have figured this would happen -Jinyoung drank so much throughout the night that there was no telling when he would pass out. Jaebum just didn’t expect it to be the moment after his head hit the pillows, before he even got a chance to fuck him into the mattress.

Jaebum thinks it’s all okay though, watching the way Jinyoung snores in his sleep or curls up into a little ball. It’s so sweet and peaceful that he starts to feel the events from the day wash over him, yawning from all he’s had to carry -from the crew, to Jackson, and now Jinyoung (metaphorically and physically).

He’s more tired than he originally thought, struggling to keep both his eyes open and the blinding smile off his face. He moves Jinyoung only slightly so he can pull the comforter over him, to which the younger lets out a cute little squeak. Jaebum climbs into the other side of the bed without even thinking of if it’s okay or not. They were literally just about to have sex, so it shouldn’t be that much of a problem.

Not wanting to lose the contact, Jaebum nestles up and wraps his arm around Jinyoung, pulling his back flush to his chest.

He kisses the back of Jinyoung’s neck and lets his lips linger for a moment before closing his eyes. “You better not throw up on me in the middle of the night.”

 

 

At the ass crack of dawn when the brilliant light from the morning streams through the curtains, Jaebum is woken up by a stirring underneath him. Jinyoung groans painfully, squinting at the harsh light breaking through. Somehow during the night their positions shifted, Jinyoung ending up sprawled on his back with Jaebum laid half across his front, nosing into his side.

Jaebum yawns as he sits up and stretches the sore muscles from the night before, particularly in his shoulders and lower back from having to haul Jinyoung across the palace. He’s lucky though, having no feeling of a hangover whatsoever as he turns to the man lying next to him, who squints from the daylight’s rays.

“Morning sunshine,” he tests timidly, nervously pinching the sheets between his fingers. This is all new territory they have yet to explore sober, and Jaebum’s trying to make it as less awkward as possible. “How are you feeling?”

Jinyoung’s face quirks up in pain, “You are familiar with those earth toys for children, the little monkey who hits the cymbals together? My head is the space between the cymbals.” Grumbling, Jinyoung shifts the pillow from under his head to cover his face. “I failed to remember to drink the water.”

“I forgot too,” Jaebum says with a soft chuckle, remembering ironically that Jinyoung was the reason why. “My mind was… _preoccupied_ with other things.”

Jinyoung shoots up with horror in his eyes, and Jaebum can pinpoint the exact moment he pieces everything together. “Did we….?” He lifts the covers to double check, sighing when he finds both of them still clad, Jaebum in his underwear and him in his pants.

“No we didn’t, you passed out as soon as you laid down,” Jaebum adds a hand of comfort. Thinking back on it now that his cells aren’t bursting with energy, he’s extremely thankful that they didn’t go the cliche drunk hookup route. Not that he didn’t want to have sex with Jinyoung -because he wouldn’t mind it- just not drunk when neither of them will remember it in the morning. Call it cheesy, but he wants to have really great consummating _sober_ and consensual sex, not trashy sex before they even figure out what they are.

“Hey,” his tone gets serious, eyes boring into Jinyoung’s until he meets them. “I don’t want us to ignore the obvious and pretend like last night didn’t happen. We should really talk about,” he gestures his hands between the two. “This.”

Jinyoung picks up instantly what he’s referring to. Unblinking, the commander finds himself nodding along. “You are right.”

As much as he’d love to do it right now and pour everything out, Jaebum thinks they should wait, just until the competition is over and Jinyoung is healthier. Right now the vulcan looks like every word spoken out loud pains him as he shuts his eyes tightly.

“We can talk about it later though, when you’re feeling better.” So as not to overrun the vulcan with too much information, Jaebum quickly changes the subject. “So you were pretty wild last night. You told each crew member how much you loved them and danced the macarena at one point.”

Jinyoung flops back on the bed and hisses. “Please kill me.”

“No, it was cute,” laughing, Jaebum places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’re a really cute drunk, everyone thought so.” Jinyoung groans again, even more embarrassed from the fiasco of the night before. Jaebum takes pity on him, rising from the bed to tug on his shirt and pair of pants from last night. “I’m going to go get you something to eat, and maybe find a nurse or someone who has some medicine.”

He finds the cup of water abandoned on the dresser and changes it out before offering it to Jinyoung. The commander sits up to bring the plastic container to his lips and Jaebum ruffles his disheveled hair. “Try to drink this for now. I’ll be back in a little bit.” For extra measure, and just because he feels like doing it, Jaebum presses a kiss to the crown of Jinyoung’s hair with a soft grin.

 

 

The start of the competition is for lack of a better description…. Not going well. Or, it’s going okay, but not exactly how Jackson had planned. From the get-go, Jackson was determined to memorize Hani’s fencing skills to get a leg up in the battle. But, he underestimated just how long she’s had to master her skills over him.

Since Jackson was going against the heir to the throne, the stakes were much higher. And since he had beat out every competitor thus far, the winner was to be chosen from the best of three matches. It is somewhat a good thing, because if Jackson lost the first match, he could come back and steal the second and third. Which… is exactly what happened. He expected himself to do better, what with the extensive training and practicing, spending hours and buckets of sweat with Mark looking after him.

From the first lunge Hani threw at him in the premiere match, Jackson understood that he was likely going to lose. He just didn’t anticipate that it would be at a whopping 15-3.

“It’s okay,” Mark tells him. “You got the next one.”

Mark turns out to be right, as Jackson beats Hani in the second game, but only by two whole points. That match was more of a game of tug of war between the fencers; Jackson would take aim and swoop in for a point, but Hani would come back each time swifter than before. Luckily, since they’ve gone two matches already, Jackson has picked up on the princess’ key moves and knows now what to do in order to get the upper hand.

There’s a short fifteen-minute intermission between the last two matches, and as Jackson guzzles down the water Jaebum hands to him, Mark is already setting out the strategics.

“Okay so Hani is good, but she’s not flawless. I’ve noticed when she blocks she doesn’t cover the area above her shoulders, so try to aim higher. She also lunges in three-step combos, never any less. If you can, get her before she gets to that last step.”

Jackson replays the notes in his brain, adding them to the list he’d already developed. If he can use these mistakes Hani makes to his advantage, he may have a chance at pulling this off.

The bell for the final round goes off. Jackson wipes the sweat off his forehead nervously as Mark lifts the mask from his hands.

“You got this Jacks, I believe in you.” Mark secures the mesh contraption around Jackson’s head, kissing the face of it when he’s done.

This isn’t just for Jackson, it’s for Mark. Mark, the kind soul with an infectious laugh who doesn’t deserve any of this. He doesn’t deserve to have the one he loves most ripped away like a bandage and left to heal on his own. Mark loves and believes in him, so Jackson has to win. Win for them.

The two shake hands in courtesy, then place their feet in the en garde position. With thousands of eyes and freezing cold fear circulating in the air, the referee shouts, “Allez!”

The first point goes to Jackson, when he fakes a lunge. Hani moves to block the attack, and Jackson’s window of opportunity opens. Using precise footwork he’s able to land a blow to her neck, remembering the advice Mark gave him.

He’s able to score four more points, blocking and striking now that he knows her tactics, before the game takes a noticeable shift.

In the other two matches, their moves seemed to be at random as they sized each other up. But now, it’s like Hani knows beforehand every single move he’s going to make. When Jackson ducks under her sword, he goes in for stab. Instead of landing a blow to her chest, she extends her back over to dodge Jackson’s weapon faster than he’s ever seen before. It bridges a gap and she takes it, tip of her sword touching his waist.

As the rest of her points fall into place, it’s like she knows Jackson’s been observing her tactics to use against her, counterattacking his counterattacks. It brings their score up to 11-5, and Jackson can really feel the pressure building; he can see everything lost in a matter of minutes.

Breathing out all his insecurities, he jumps when the referee gives them the go ahead. He tosses aside the counterattack strategy and just goes for it, stepping three times before lunging. Hani successfully blocks his attempt, sliding her sword up quickly before Jackson can block back. She hits his wrist, landing her another point, bringing her even closer to the fifteen point mark.

It finally hits him in that moment after he recovers from the point that there is absolutely no way he’s going to win this. He calls a timeout, if only to delay the inevitable.

Mark watches him with sad eyes, but remains hopeful. “Hey, you got this. I know it looks bad, just please don’t give up.”

He sounds like he’s trying to convince himself more, but Jackson still fights the water prickling the corners of his eyes. “I need nine more points, Mark. She needs three. Who do you really think has a chance here?”

The look of somber never falls from his boyfriend’s face, “Just don’t give up.”

And Jackson doesn’t. He doesn’t give up when his fellow crew members and friends give him hugs of hope and love, or when the timeout ends and he’s called back to the floor. He doesn’t give up when Hani manages to score two more points on him, leaving her falling short of one to win the match.

Somehow, when the referee signals them to fight the next time, Hani missteps when she blocks Jackson’s lunge, ending up with her left foot in front of her right, a big no-no in the sport of fencing. It gets Jackson a point based on her foul, but she still has double his points.

They battle again, and Jackson knows it will only take one wrong move for Hani to win the last point and send him to prison. With nothing else to lose he decides to try out the most ridiculous move possible to throw her off guard. The lieutenant springs up and kicks his feet in the air, pretending to throw his foot at her. She doesn’t expect the boldness of the move and fumbles, allowing Jackson to score another point below her breast.

Hani’s still only got one point left to go, and when “allez” is shouted, she takes it. Hani usually moves in three step combinations but this time she lunges on two, which Jackson did not calculate for. As Jackson goes to parry she hooks the end of her blade in his handle, ripping it out of his hand with one small swoop. With Jackson scrambling to regain his ground Hani lunges again, stabbing him in the white uniform directly over his heart. The match is called, and the princess wins, 15-7.

The arena falls into alienable silence, eyes non wandering as they fall on the pair in the middle. Jackson, overcome with defeat, hangs his head in shame, unable to face the crew he’s come to call friends and family. He can’t even bring himself to look back at his lover, too embarrassed at thinking he actually had a shot at winning this. They all gasp in horror, Mark letting out a string of no’s as he fist his hands in Jaebum’s shirt.

Manners and politeness are the most important things in the sport of fencing, and as Jackson removes his mask to shake hands with Hani, he fights back the breakdown he’ll most definitely have later when he’s chained to the cold walls of his cell. When Hani shakes his hand, he delivers the fakest smile possible, registering the guards swarming in out of the corners of his eyes.

“Jia Er,” the King boasts after stomping his feet. The cuffs are latched to the brunette’s wrists and the chains are linked. “You will now carry out your life sentence for crimes against the crown.”

 _So this is it then_ , Jackson wonders. His whole life gone and the love of his life shattered because of a stupid decision made when he was young and foolish. “Please,” he begs when he hears a hiccuping sob come from Mark. “At least give me a moment to say goodbye to them.”

Reluctantly, the King allows him this, nodding his head.

He starts to the side with Yugyeom, pulling the younger into his embrace as best he can with the handcuffs holding him down. “You take care of my bridge, Gyeomie.” Before he can even let go Bambam is cascading them both tightly. “Also cut back on the Jinyoung pranks, he’s fragile.” It breaks the tension only slightly, but he’s happy to hear the younger boys laughing.

Youngjae looks at him seriously when he makes his way to him, whispering in his ear “Jackson, we can switch places if you want. I can pretend to be you so you can stay with Mark.”

It makes Jackson smile. “Youngjae you’re too pure for this world. They’d never believe you anyway.”

He spends longer with Jinyoung than he does his other friends, having known and cared for him the longest. “You know, I’ve always considered you my best friend, Jinyoung. You may not have seen me as yours, but I’ve still treasured our friendship over the years.”

The vulcan smiles but it fails to reach his eyes, tugging his friend into his arms. “Live long and prosper, my good friend,” he says softly, giving his customary vulcan salute. Jackson mirrors the gesture sadly before moving on.

Jaebum and Mark are left, the two friends who would do anything for each other. Mark sobs into the captain’s chest, but gets quieter and stands upright when Jackson nears. Jaebum, ever the noble man, shakes Jackson’s hand, “We’re gonna miss you. You were the best helmsman I’ve ever had.”

“I was the only helmsman you’ve ever had,” the lieutenant snorts. “I’m going to miss you too JB.” They embrace in a bro-hug style by bumping their shoulders together, before he moves onto the last person he’d ever want to say goodbye to.

The rest give them space to breathe, and as Jackson looks into Mark’s red-rimmed eyes, the love he holds for the older man erupts completely.

“I’m so sorry,” he cries, Mark latching onto him like it’s the only thing he’ll ever do. A few tears shed on their own when he feels the wetness from Mark’s eyes gather at the base of his neck. “I am so so sorry.”

Mark weeps for his loss unabashedly in front of whoever’s still around to watch, digging his nails into Jackson’s shoulders. “You just be strong, okay?” He says, voice breaking when he pulls back. “I don’t want to hear you’ve done something stupid like kill yourself because you couldn’t take it anymore.”

The younger chuckles, “I could never.” Jackson uses the limited mobility he has in the chains to wipe the tear stains from his boyfriend’s scarlet cheeks. “I love you, Mark. You keep that ship running, you hear? Cause god knows he’s not gonna do it.”

It’s amazing Jackson can still find the opportunity to crack jokes at such an emotional tribute. But then again, he wouldn’t be Jackson it he didn’t.

A single tear escapes the American as he whispers, “I love you too, Jia Er,” before sealing their fate with the last kiss they’ll ever share. The bittersweet moment ends when Jackson pulls back to the sound of the approaching guards.

“Are you ready?” One asks him. And while no he’s not and he’ll never be, he nods anyway, no use in delaying his deserved punishment The guards grab him by the arms and usher him towards the exit. He gives one lasting goodbye, waving to his loved ones who he’ll never see again.

Then suddenly out of the blue, a sweet but prideful voice rings through the arena, startling the onlookers.

“WAIT JUST ONE MOMENT,” Jackson spins around to see Hani stood still in the position he left her in, leaning on her sword with her head raised high. Now that she’s gathered everyone’s attention, she clears her throat. “As princess of this kingdom, I swore an oath of blood to carry out my duties to my people, and everyone else,” she pauses, observing the crowd as she draws a deep breath. “As a woman of reason, I do not find it just to punish a man of no guilt.”

The King makes his way to his daughter, tight jaw set. “The man who you are speaking of is _not_ innocent and admitted to his crimes.”

“Jia Er is not innocent,” she confirms. She lifts her sabre and points it directly at Mark, “But he is.” All eyes now fall on the saddened doctor, who shrinks under the attention. “His lover, an innocent man. If we convict Jia Er of his crimes, we are punishing him as well. And I will not become a queen known for being unreasonable and heartless. Guards, release him.  I am pardoning his life.”

The main guard look hesitant, but a stern look from the Princess has him yanking his keys out. Jackson almost doesn’t believe it until the cuffs are unlocked and his jaw that had dropped out of bewilderment closes.

“ _Hani_ ,” the King spits, venomous. “You cannot think I will allow this to happen-”

“I do and you shall,” she looks up, standing by her decision. “As this crime falls under my jurisdiction I will do with it as I see fit. If you do not, I will break Jia Er out myself, and become like him. You’ll have to chain me down there as well. Is that what you want for this kingdom?”

Her blackmailing plan is a dirty move, but the King is in no place to refuse, because it means sending his only daughter to the cellars forever.

 “ _Fine_ ,” he grits out reluctantly before facing Jackson and the crew. “The deal with Starfleet still remains, but Jia Er is never to step foot on this planet again, or I shall have him arrested for good.” The menacing man storms off, black cloak swaying with every step.

The first thing Jackson does when he gains his freedom is embrace Mark, the only man he thinks he’ll ever truly love. They cry tears of joy as he lifts Mark to straddle his waist so they can kiss at a better angle. The rest of his friends hug and scream their joys in his ear. It doesn’t take long for them to recognize that they have no reason to stay on Suclora anymore now that Jackson is allowed to go free, but he has one last thing he should do before they depart.

He detaches himself from the entanglement of arms to face Hani, who watches their group. She doesn’t smile, but she doesn’t have to. Jackson knows her well enough to know she’s proud of herself for doing the right thing.

“Thank you, Hani,” begins, getting lost in the words he never had a chance to tell her. “I never apologized for abandoning you all those years ago, but I am truly sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me, because you have always been a friend to me, and I will always care for you.” She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t have to, Jackson is content with her hearing his apology. Before he leaves, he wraps his arms around her shoulders and draws her to his chest. She squeaks, not expecting the sudden display of affection.

“You’re going to make a great queen one day, with or without a husband,” he whispers the words, but means every bit of them after she displayed a fine show of nobility for sparing his sentencing.

She doesn’t embrace him, too much lies unsaid and too many wounds stay opened. But she doesn’t pull away either, which Jackson can take. “I hope you and Mark live happily together, even if we could not. Be safe in your travels, Jia- uh, I mean, Jackson.”

The ex-count finally leans back, a genuine smile reaching his eyes as he tentatively kisses her cheek. “Thank you.”

 

 

Now that Jackson is free and the ship safely exits the planet, everything is back to normal. Well, almost everything. Jackson’s past had come back to haunt him rather extremely so it’s doubtful he’ll ever escape it entirely, especially with this crew. He and Mark are okay amazingly, even with Jackson hiding his past life from the older man.

Then there’s the thing going on between Jaebum and Jinyoung that has yet to be discussed thoroughly. They’ve kissed once, Jinyoung alluded to believing in soulmates because of him, and then in a drunken stupor they came just mere minutes away from having sex. Jaebum had basically nursed Jinyoung back to health after the alcohol infused night, words remaining unsaid as he forced Jinyoung to eat and drink as much as he could. They hugged each other after Jackson was pardoned by the princess with knowing smiles that meant the pair still had a long way to go, but it would be worth it to try.

Jaebum lies on his bed with his legs dangling over the edge as he tries to count the ceiling tiles. The process helps his brain settle from the events of the past two days, and he’s able to get up to one hundred and twenty seven before there’s a knock at his door.

“Come in,” he shouts, not bothering to sit up from the bed, as he already knows who it’ll be. The vision of the grey ceiling soon fades and is replaced by the bent over image of Park Jinyoung tilting his head. He’s even beautiful at this angle with his bangs falling into his eyes.

Jaebum starts to sit up but suddenly there’s a hand pushing him back down. “No, stay. I will join you, if that is okay?” Jaebum wants to say “of course it is”, but only nods in response. The commander lays opposite him, head coming to rest at the sight of Jaebum’s knees.

Now that they’re directly parallel to each other, Jinyoung exhales deeply, “So, these past few days have been rather interesting.”

“No kidding.”

Humming, the vulcan’s tone becomes serious. “Jaebum, I think it is finally time for us to talk about what is to become of our relationship to each other.”

Having mentally prepared himself for this moment, Jaebum sighs shakily, “I’m ready, but why do I feel terrified at the same time?”

“Because you are human,” he answers. “I am scared as well, it is only natural.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page then,” he’s ready for everything to be laid out on the table, and he’s ready to stop beating around the bush. Neither move, eyes still fixated on the ceiling. “Why don’t we just start from the beginning?”

“The beginning, as in before we became friends?”

Jaebum smiles, wondering if Jinyoung is as nervous as he is. “If it helps, then sure.”

He thinks Jinyoung must not of heard him, as silences stretches on for a moment before he finally speaks. He must have been calculating what to say first.

“It seems so trivial now, that I used to despise you so,” he chuckles. Jaebum never dwells on the memory, but bringing it up now makes him smile; it’s so ridiculous. “Well, I should not say I despised _you_ per say, as I despised the attention you received, and the things you were able to do. Jackson was the only friend I made because my apathetic personality tends to turn humans away, and he does not judge a person by their exterior. Then you came out of nowhere, received so much attention, and managed to complete the course in only a year.  It hurt my pride, so I took it out on you, like a fool.”

Sure, Jaebum’s heard the story before, but this time it feels like they can finally lay that side of their past to rest. “I hated you so much. You were just such an asshole to me all the time when I never did anything to you,” it feels good to let it all out again, knowing their timeline develops from this. “But even when I hated you, I still felt this sort of, pull, to you, like we were magnetized. I loved getting under your skin, and would do shit knowing you would bust me for it.”

Jinyoung plays with the folds of his blue shirt, and gulps. “When...when did you start to feel differently towards me?” He sounds nervous, and Jaebum wishes he could gage his reactions without ruining the moment.

So this is it. No turning back, no denying anything. Their place together will forever be changed. He steadies is breathing and closes his eyes, mind traveling to the early days of the year. “I got to know you, luckily, from being stuck in this tin can for so long. I realized you were different than any person I’d ever met before. You carried so much grief as well, so I think we were an even match for each other from the get-go.”

“I still felt that pull to you -I always feel that pull to you. But I thought it was because you were my friend. I didn’t start to think differently until… until I went to the parallel universe,” the captain stops for a breather, remembering he’s never told Jinyoung what actually happened. He feels embarrassed it even happened in the first place, but can’t say he regrets it. He just hopes Jinyoung isn’t mad about the fact that it happened and he lied about it. “Remember when you had a feeling our alternate selves were together? You told me the other me kissed you, and you asked me if the other Jinyoung did anything?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Well, I lied.”

When Jinyoung speaks, it has Jaebum gasping and sitting straight up. “I know.”

“What? What do you mean you know!?”

Jinyoung sets himself to mirror the position as he covers his blossoming smile. “I did not know, but I assumed. It is very hard to fool a vulcan, and well… You are a terrible liar.” Jaebum covers his face in shame, but not for long as Jinyoung pulls them away. “What happened?”

Even though Jaebum cringes at the memory, Jinyoung needs to know why he did what he did. “I was pretending to be him, and they were together so, everything just happened. We didn’t do anything too extreme, just uhh,” scratching his head, he forces himself to tell it straight, and talking about his feelings comes easier than he thought it would.

“We kissed for a while. Then I found myself doing it less out of pretending to be the other guy, and more out of really wanting to do it. The whole time I thought of you, if that helps any. It felt right, but I just really wanted it to be you.”

With his head tilted, Jinyoung isn’t angry, or upset like Jaebum assumed he’d be. Instead he’s pensive, and his eyes glint with something else entirely. “Was he... good?”

As Jinyoung meets his eyes, Jaebum places the emotion, unbelieving that that was the only thing Jinyoung focused on. “Park Jinyoung, are you jealous?”

Shrinking back like he’s been caught, the vulcan pinches his thigh playfully. “Of course not. I was only curious.”

“Good, because it would be weird to be jealous of yourself.” Jinyoung has shown this child-like side of him even more lately, and Jaebum can’t get enough of it. When everything he wants to say is so, he switches the gearshift. “So then what about you? When did you think ‘ _Oh Im Jaebum, you stole my heart_ ’?” For added effect he dramatically flips his hair to the side and holds a hand over his chest.

The commander does nothing but roll his eyes, even if he secretly enjoys the teasing. “I suppose it was the same for me as well. There was always _something_ there. At first I assumed it to be hate, and then I believed it to be a deep friendship. I am sad to say that it was not until the Protozonans showed up that I discovered how far my affections went for you.”

From an outsider’s perspective by the way they speak almost informational, you’d never guess they were talking about their feelings for each other. But looking up, they meet each other’s gaze and the ship stops moving as something in the air shifts. Jaebum swears he can see stars in Jinyoung’s golden whiskey eyes, ready to dive in completely. At the pad of Jinyoung’s thumb across his hand his chest gets lighter, staring at the man he’s grown to love with unadulterated happiness as he awaits his next response.

“I observed you with them. And though they were not my true parents, it made me feel like they were. I wanted you to become apart of my family. I wanted them to approve of you so badly. I,” he pinches his eyes so tight they almost disappear. Jaebum interlaces their hands and holds tight. “I lost myself, for so long after my planet was destroyed. My mother was the only person who told me it was okay to _feel_ , so when she died it is like that part of me died with her.”

“I wanted to conceal all emotions so I could never feel the pain I felt that day. But then came the unpredictable Im Jaebum,” he smiles with his rows of pearly whites, making sure to drive the point home by looking him in the eyes. “And you made it impossible for me not to _feel_. Every emotion I felt towards you -hate, annoyance, enjoyment, love- no matter how much I tried not to feel, I was powerless to stop it.”

Jaebum’s breath hitches when Jinyoung raises his hand and places it gently on the left side of his face, cradling it softly. “I know I may seem like an emotionless robot sometimes, but I can say in confidence that you helped me find myself again. And I do not wish to ever, ever not feel my feelings for you.”

The raw truth of it all knocks Jaebum blind. No one has ever confessed to him like this, no one has ever wanted to. The sentiment, and the fact that he’s able to render these kinds of emotions in Jinyoung send a dampness to his eyes, eliciting a single tear that rolls down his cheek.

Jinyoung rubs it away with his thumb, lifting his other hand so he holds Jaebum’s face in both. In the softest voice of silk, he whispers, “Im Jaebum, I love you very much.”

And Jaebum, breathless, wordless, heart bursting in his chest refusing to look away, has to blink back the glossiness of his silent but ecstatic eyes. “You love me?” He nods, and Jaebum throws all caution to the wind. “I love you too, Jinyoung. More than you will ever know.”

Jaebum doesn’t even wait for a response by the younger, eagerly tugging him down by the collar of his shirt to seal their confessions in a bruising kiss. It’s far from soft, but it’s not heavy either. It starts out slow tentatively as they test the waters, but gradually speeds up as they move their mouths in sync to find a balanced rhythm. It’s different now -different than his kiss with the parallel Jinyoung, different than their shared kiss on his birthday, and much different that the drunken kisses passed the night before. This kiss is different because it means something different. It means they know how each other truly feel, and it means that this is their chance to do something about it.

They hold each other and kiss until their lips are swollen and their lung’s demand oxygen. Jaebum is the first to pull away, exhaling hard as he pads his thumb over Jinyoung’s bottom lip, shades darker than what it was mere minutes ago. “God, my confession sucked compared to yours. Let me redo it.”

Jinyoung shakes his head, leaning in for another kiss, this time only lightly. “No, your confession was perfect, everything I could have ever wanted.”

Smiling, the captain thinks he’ll do a better job to tell Jinyoung how he really feels everyday for the rest of his life, wondering just how he lucked out on falling for the man before him. “Does this mean we’re together now?”

Jinyoung cocks his head and studies him like he’s just spoken a foreign language. “Of course we are together.”

“Okay just double checking. Now let’s do that thing where we kiss each other again.”

He moves in for another round, but Jinyoung blocks his attempts with the palm of his hand.

“Wait,” he becomes serious once more. “You do realize we will be breaking a huge rule in the Starfleet code? The captain is forbidden from having relations with anyone aboard their ship. If Starfleet finds out about this, they will likely assign us to different starships.”

“Well then, we’ll have to make sure no one finds out,” he says beaming, brushing a few strands of Jinyoung’s hair out of his face. While it’s not a foolproof plan, it works for now, because Jaebum doesn’t want to go a second longer without Jinyoung finally being his. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

It doesn’t take Jinyoung to be told twice, pouncing on Jaebum as he tugs the younger down. They tumble back into a heap of giggles, but somehow still find a way to kiss with smiles plastered to their faces. They get so into the feeling of each other that neither of them hear the door open or register that anyone’s walked in until there’s shouting.

“Hey Jaebum guess.... ” The sound of Jackson’s booming acoustics reverberates off the walls in the small room as he and Mark stumble onto the captain and commander’s current predicaments. “ _WHAT_?!”

Before Jaebum can stop himself he stands up out of utter shock and embarrassment, causing Jinyoung to land on the floor with a dull thud. The vulcan quickly rights himself as they face the two intruders, who share the same faces of flabbergast.

Jackson is the first one to speak, or yell. “Oh my god you guys were just making out on Jaebum’s bed?!?!?!” When neither of them say anything, looking guilty, Jackson freaks out even more. “Holy shit! Why were you guys kissing?! Did you finally….?! Oh my god this day just keeps getting better and better.”

The onslaught of questions has Jaebum wishing for once Jackson had a volume button -or an off switch. Either way, he easily evades the flustering question, “Uh yeah so... Anyways why did you both come in my room unannounced? Not that it’s never great to see you but...”

“Oh yes! Yes of course!” Jackson is obviously excited about why they barged in, and Mark somehow is able to tone Jackson’s evident glee down by grabbing his shoulders just enough for their ears not to explode. “We got engaged!”

Jaebum blinks, mouth hanging open. “You what?!”

“We’re engaged!” He repeats, snaking his arms around his boyfriend’s -no fiance’s waist. “Mark proposed like, two minutes ago. He said, ‘Jackson, we’ve been together for not even a year, but you’re it for me,’ and popped the question.”

Jaebum’s still in disbelief, eyes checking Mark to see if this is all a dream. “You just decided to propose to him out of the blue?”

Mark, always the quiet one, finally speaks, words laced with glee. “I mean, yeah. I just decided to do it. Yesterday and today made me realize some things, and I don’t want anything to tear me and Jackson apart.”

Even though it’s soon in their relationship, Jaebum can’t help but feel happy for them. Especially Jackson, who looks like a love sick puppy with the way he clings to his fiance with hearts in his eyes.

There’s no ring yet, but Mark hopes to take care of that soon, a wedding date to come later as well. Jinyoung is to be Jackson’s best man, and Jaebum will be Mark’s. It only seems fair, since the pairs have held friendships with each other for so long. They don’t have any more details planned out, but the rest will come in time.

“Sooo…” Jackson whistles as the conversation strays from weddings and marriages, crossing his arms with a coy smile. “What’s going on between you guys?”

Jaebum thinks this is going to be a long couple of months.

 

 

_“Captain’s log. Stardate 2050.308. As we made our way to Suclora to carry out negotiations with King Ahn, it was discovered that there were… difficulties with the ship that did not allow us to leave the planet. The King was gracious enough to take us in and give us means to repair the ship. We settled the deal along the way, so now Earth will be receiving the famous Suclorian crop seeds, and they will get out oil in return. I would like to extend a congratulations from the entire crew of the Got7 on behalf of Lieutenant Wang and Doctor Tuan’s engagement. That’s all for today, Im over and out.”_

           

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's only one chapter plus the epilogue left we're almost done :)


	9. Ep. 8: Mayday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey it's just me a week early because I'm done writing everything and I wanna finish up posting :)

Stardate 2051.18

 

If you would have told Im Jaebum two years ago that he’d be captain of a Starfleet ship with his best friends and be in the most amazing relationship of his life with the only vulcan left in existence, he would have laughed in your face before throwing the first punch.

But that’s what his life is, and he cannot recall a time having ever been so happy.

Before Admiral Park had come in and picked him up out of that desolate bar, he was angry at Starfleet and the world for taking his father from him. His mother was never the same, and in return it while his mother still loved him very much, she was there, but her heart was not. It was like he grew up without both of his parents, and Jaebum blamed the interstellar organization for it.

If he had not recklessly joined on a dare, he would still be the same brooding “I hate the world” guy with no accomplishments accept sitting around and moping or getting into a fight. He wouldn’t be captain, and he most certainly would not have met the person he has fallen so deeply for.

The past few months seems to have slowed down as he and Jinyoung steadily navigate their relationship together. They’ve only truly been together for a little over two months, but it feels much longer since they’ve spent the better part of a year by each other’s side.

The couple have done a decent job of hiding their relationship from the crew. The only people who know are Mark and Jackson, and that was only because walked in on them in a compromising position. Plus, they are the pair’s best friends, it would have been hard to keep it from them regardless. They act as normal as they can outside of their rooms, In the private holdings of their own rooms they can kiss, touch, and be as disgustingly in love as they can. Which isn’t hard, considering both of them now live in their own little bubble of each other. Some nights they’ll lie on Jaebum’s bed watching older earth films no one cares for anymore, snuggled in each other’s arms until they fall asleep. If they go to Jinyoung’s room, more often than not Jinyoung will read an academic journal out loud and Jaebum will soak in the information about space, time, and life. Jaebum is content to just lay with his head in Jinyoung’s lap as he reads, the younger carding his fingers through dark locks as he speaks. He never finds it boring, like most people would. His and Jinyoung’s IQ’s are nearly the same, so they feed off each other often when piecing together new things.

When Jinyoung laughs, he’ll kiss him. When Jinyoung pouts, he’ll kiss him. When Jinyoung does anything cute, he’ll kiss him twice. It seems Jaebum just can’t get enough of kissing Jinyoung. Every kiss feels like their first, and he still gets the same airy feeling in the bottom of his stomach. Jinyoung also does this adorable thing where he’ll ask Jaebum’s permission before he initiates any kind of skinship, just to make sure every touch is consensual. Eventually Jaebum tells him that while he appreciates the thought, Jinyoung doesn’t have to ask before doing anything to him.

“Unless you’re going to murder me,” he adds, much to the unamused face of his boyfriend who would never entertain the thought.

Having to hide their relationship behind closed doors almost makes them feel like each other’s dirty little secret, but they knew the cost of being together when they signed up for it. Sure, Jaebum would love to grab Jinyoung by the waist when they’re standing together on the deck, or hold his hand when they’re doing inventory checks, but he knows what’s at stake if they do.

The limited mobility of what they can do takes it’s toll sometimes, but Jaebum always makes sure to have something planned the times they have to stop by Starfleet or have to carry a mission out on another planet. One time when they were stationed on Nemiro for a few days to oversee a diamond mining operation, Mark and Jackson covered for them while Jaebum brought to Jinyoung to one of the planet’s underground crystal geysers. They didn’t stop touching each other for a single second while they walked around, and kissed openly under the sparkles of the glowing rocks. It was nice to get some ounce of normalcy as they try to have little dates like this.

As their relationship gets closer, so do their bodies. The sexual attraction was clear from the very beginning, amplified even more by their near drunken hookup. They had decided to take things slow to test out the waters, but by the end of the third week, both had an itch under their skin begging to be scratched.

They explored each other’s skin languidly the night the itch became too much to handle, Jaebum taking his time to tease Jinyoung with the glide of their clothed crotches together before removing the offending articles. He dragged his touches and brought out his best moves to get the vulcan begging underneath him. Jaebum wanted to make sure every touch made Jinyoung feel good, prepping him just right so he wouldn’t hurt him. He entered Jinyoung achingly slow, letting the younger get used to the feeling before sliding out. It didn’t take long for either of them to finish, breathless moans surrounding the room as their orgasms swept over them. Jaebum swallowed the sound of Jinyoung’s ecstasy, finishing not two seconds later as they lay panting in each other’s hair. The two left the mess until morning, exhaustion from the physical activity washing over them as Jaebum’s muscles gave out and he collapsed on Jinyoung’s chest.

They don’t have sex often, because coming back after a long day leaves them wanting to curl up and rest. But occasionally Jinyoung will throw him a look that says “fuck my brains out” or vice versa, or Jaebum will admire Jinyoung’s body for too long until he notices and does something about it.

After another long day on the job, Jinyoung sneaks back to Jaebum’s room when no one’s looking. He was just about to pop in the shower, and Jinyoung suggests them take one together, as he needs one too and it’ll save water and whatnot. Jaebum would never refuse the opportunity to see his boyfriend naked, agreeing as he pulls the commander in by the collar of his shirt.

They take turns washing each other’s hair and bodies, but the practice is soon discarded to press each other to every inch of the shower walls. Jaebum has the advantage over Jinyoung as he pushes him flush against the wall and teases his tongue inside his mouth, making sure to grind down into their growing erections.

He’s got Jinyoung all worked up in a matter of minutes, the constant spray of warm water guiding the slide of their cocks together as they move together. When things get too heavy for just grinding alone, both are ready to move onto something more stimulating. Shower sex can be quite dangerous, and Jaebum doesn’t want to accidentally slip and bust his head open from fucking Jinyoung too hard. He’s had this idea in his head for weeks of what he wants to try with Jinyoung, but doesn’t know how the other will react.

He thinks this is good a time as any, sliding his hand down to the curve of the vulcan’s backside, testing the waters when he slips a finger between his cheeks and rubs at the rim.

Jinyoung breaks the kiss off to look at him through his glistening lashes. “Wait,” he says startled, biting his bottom lip. “I did not prep beforehand.”

“Don’t worry, Jaebum muses, kissing the side of his lover’s mouth. “I’ll take care of you. Turn around.”

Jinyoung faces the wall apprehensively with hands positioned high and his back to Jaebum, who grabs a bottle of body wash and places a dollop onto his pointer finger. Determined to do this right, he folds himself against Jinyoung’s back with room to guide his hand down to his cheeks and applies the body wash thoroughly around the rim before pressing the digit inside. Jaebum doesn’t press to far in, not wanting the vulcan to be uncomfortable or give him an infection from the soap, as it’s only supposed to clean him anyway. He kisses Jinyoung’s neck while he spreads the soap around, tasting the water droplets that cling to his skin.

“I do not think body wash is enough if you wish to enter me,” Jinyoung says after Jaebum removes his finger, satisfied with his work.

“Good thing I wasn’t going to fuck you,” he whispers against the shell of the commander’s ear, feeling the shiver that runs down his spine. If Jinyoung doesn’t get it by now, Jaebum will have to be a little more subtle. “Have you ever been eaten out before?”

The question has Jinyoung burning red, hooded eyes flashing with something else as he faces the human. “Once,” he gulps. “But it was rushed so it was not pleasant.”

Jaebum didn’t expect him to say yes, but also feels sad that the experience wasn’t pleasurable. “Can I try?” He asks in a tone laced with sultry, making sure to get permission first before he starts anything new. Jinyoung looks unsure, so Jaebum kisses him once, “I’ll make you feel good, I promise. I’ll go slow and take my time for you.”

Jinyoung lets out a shuddering breath, gulping as he nods his head. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Jaebum repeats, kissing him one last time before dropping to his knees. “If you want me to stop, just pull on my hair or something.”

Jinyoung nods, facing the wall with his hands braced. Before Jaebum does anything, he spreads Jinyoung’s legs out a little more, giving him better access to the spot where his mouth will be. He knows from experience that comforting and making sure the person you’re going down on is relaxed, so he rubs his hands up and down the backs of Jinyoung’s soft thighs, making sure to press his lips to every inch of skin.

Once Jinyoung is fully relaxed, Jaebum guides his hands up to palm at the flesh of his cheeks, spreading them little by little as he presses another kiss above the curve of the flesh, and then to each cheek. With his ass spread, Jaebum drags his mouth up teasingly, nibbling on the sensitive skin along the way. Jinyoung’s breath hitches when Jaebum spreads him out wider and ghosts a hot breath over his puckered rim. Not giving him any more time to steady himself, Jaebum presses eagerly into the tight flesh and swipes his tongue up gently.

“Is this okay?” He moves away to gage his boyfriend's reaction, making sure this is absolutely what Jinyoung wants.

“Y-yeah,” he says in a shaky breath.

Without needing further approval, Jaebum dives back in, kissing the pink skin before licking it again. From the first couple of swipes from his tongue, Jinyoung is gasping in short even breaths, trying and failing to get a grip on the slick wall. Jaebum pulls out all the tricks he knows that will make Jinyoung feel good in all the right ways, from swirling his tongue around the rim to sucking the taut flesh.

Jaebum gets so into pleasuring Jinyoung with his mouth that he gasps when he feels a hand tug the hair at the base of his skull. He removes his mouth to breathe, wondering if he’s done something wrong. “Did you want me to stop?”

Shaking his head, Jinyoung barely peeks at him over his shoulder. “No, it feels too good. I just needed something to hold onto. Please, do not stop.”

The sound of Jinyoung begging sends a stream of hot arousal to his own erection, achingly hard as he takes the go ahead and resumes his position with Jinyoung’s hand still holding him. Within a few minutes of licking and sucking alone, Jinyoung is already a shaking mess, moaning softly with every tease of his tongue. It gives Jaebum pleasure seeing Jinyoung being pulled apart by his mouth alone, but he forces himself not to drag his own hand down his length for some relief.

Jinyoung tastes a little bit like the body wash, and even more so when Jaebum changes things up by inching his tongue carefully into the vulcan’s entrance. He’s only got about a centimeter in, but it’s already got Jinyoung tugging harder at Jaebum’s damp hair as he sighs satisfactorily at the feeling.

It doesn’t take long for Jinyoung to pick up on his rhythm, bucking his hips back, like he’s trying to fuck hiself on Jaebum’s tongue. Jaebum has to hold his hips tighter so it doesn’t suffocate him, but speeds up his movements in and out of his heat as he knows Jinyoung is desperately searching for his release.

To speed things up, Jaebum reaches around to Jinyoung’s front to hold the base of his cock and stroke upward, all while going back to lick his pink rim. The stimulation from both sides hits Jinyoung in a wave of ecstasy, nearly ripping Jaebum’s hair out when he strengthens his grip and releases onto the walls with an airy cry.

As Jinyoung comes down from his orgasm, Jaebum stands back with aching knees from kneeling for so long. He wipes his mouth under the spray of now warm water, coming back to hold Jinyoung who looks like he’s still recovering from the electric orgasm.

“That was…” he pants, finding his balance to turn around so they’re face to face. Instead of finishing his own statement, the vulcan drags Jaebum into a weak kiss until he catches his breath. They suck on each other’s mouth’s a bit more until Jinyoung notices Jaebum’s not been taken care of yet. “What do you want?”

 _Anything_ , he thinks, as long as he gets some form of touch. But he also really, really wants Jinyoung’s mouth on him. “Can you go down on me?” He asks between kisses.

Jinyoung doesn’t even give him an answer, eager to please. The vulcan drops to his knees with no complaint and places Jaebum in his previous position against the wall. Jinyoung knows not to tease because he’s _begging_ to come, instantly spitting for lubrication so he can get his mouth around the tip.

Jinyoung does what he does best, taking Jaebum deep into his mouth before pulling off. He repeats the motion, bobbing back and forth around his length, hollowing his cheeks for an even better feel. Jaebum wants to know how Jinyoung has been able to perfect his skill at giving blowjobs, but doesn’t want to think about who it might have been with.

The slide of his deep pink lips along the skin, and the way Jinyoung looks up at him from beneath the water clumping his eyelashes together has Jaebum slamming his head back with a hearty groan. He threads his fingers through Jinyoung’s hair and tugs experimentally, a spike of arousal hitting him again when the younger moans around him. The commander puckers his lips to create an even tighter slide, which gets him panting loudly. Jaebum isn’t going to last very long, feeling the beginnings of his orgasm grow in his lower abdomen.

Like Jinyoung can sense he’s desperately seeking release, the man takes all of Jaebum’s length into his mouth until he hits the back of his throat. Jinyoung steadies his breathing with his mouth full, trying not to gag as he sucks around the base. All it takes is his deep guttural moan to get Jaebum coming, shooting down his throat without any warning. Jaebum holds onto his hair as Jinyoung takes it, opening his eyes to the sight of the younger swallowing around him without choking.

“Baby,” the captain groans out of breath, struggling to keep his knees from buckling. Jinyoung stands up to secure his footing, holding their bodies together until Jaebum has enough strength to stand on his own. “I love you,” he whispers tiredly, but smile shining bright.

Jinyoung kisses him once. “I love you too, but the water has gone frigid.”

Jaebum laughs at the ridiculousness of it, not even noticing the cold water showering upon them. He turns off the shower and exits with Jinyoung drowning in the feeling of being together so completely. He wraps a towel around his waist and makes to find his clothes, but the sight of a familiar ensign with a mop of black hair has him gasping and fumbling to close the door behind him.

“Gyeomie!” He shouts, hoping it was loud enough for Jinyoung to hear, and praying he was fast enough to shut the door before Jinyoung was visible. But god knows how long Yugyeom has been sitting on his bed, he could have heard or seen much more. Jaebum prayed he didn’t. “W-what are you doing here?!”

Yugyeom’s eyes drop to the towel hung low around his waist. “Sorry, I just came in. Is this a bad time?”

“Uh, a little,” he says dumbstruck to why Yugyeom would even ask such a question (he’s in a towel for god sake). “Why, is everything okay?”

The esign sighs, hunching his shoulders. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something that’s come up with Bambam and I, friend to friend rather than captain to ensign.”

Jaebum exhales with relief. For a second there, he thought Yugyeom was going to ask him about the person stashed in his bathroom. “What’s up with you and Bambam, I thought you really liked him?”

“No, no I do,” he protests. “But I, um,” twiddling his fingers in his lap nervously, Yugyeom looks anywhere but Jaebum’s face. “Idon’tknowhowtohavesexwithaguy.”

“What?”

“I DON’T KNOW HOW TO HAVE SEX WITH A GUY.”

At Yugyeom’s yell, Jaebum has to grip his towel tighter to keep it from falling off as he bursts into laughter. “Oh my god Gyeomie, you guys haven’t had sex yet? Why not ask Bambam how to do it, since he’s the one you’ll be doing it with!”

If possible, the ensign looks even more embarrassed than before. “Because you’ve been with guys and girls, so you’ll know the difference! Please I’m already mortified enough that I have to even ask _someone,_ I think I’d die if I had to ask Bambam.”

Yugyeom looks cute like this, worrying about what he’s putting into his relationship. He wants to help him as much as possible (or as best he can without cringing at the topic), but he remembers Jinyoung’s still waiting in the next room.

“Ok, give me some time to change, and I’ll teach you all about probing the male anus,” he ends in a shit-eating grin, contrast to the look of horror Yugyeom’s sporting.

“Okay,” he springs up from the bed and moves towards the door. “Just call me when you and Jinyoung have clothes on.”

The captain nearly drops his clothes from when he pulls them out of his dresser, in disbelief when he turns around. “Wha-?”

The ensign’s previous terrified face replaces with a knowing smirk. “C’mon Jaebum, I’m not stupid.”

At a loss for words, he can’t even think of a way to defend himself. It’s useless anyway, if he already knows. He stands there with his mouth wide, only able to watch as Yugyeom closes the door behind him.

“Okay so,” he’s met with the sight of Jinyoung crossing his arms over his damp chest when he exits the bathroom, sternly staring him down. Jaebum knows he’s heard every word of what just happened. “So Yugyeom knows.”

“Which means Bambam knows,” Jinyoung adds, unmoving.

Jaebum gulps. “They’ll keep it to themselves, I promise. Everything is going to be fine.”

 

Everything is not fine.

Well, everything with Jinyoung is fine. After he gave to most awkward sex ed lesson of his life to Yugyeom, he made sure that the younger man wouldn’t blab to anyone about their relationship. Yugyeom asked him if he was stupid, because there was no way he or Bambam would tell anyone. One, because it’s nobody’s business, and two, because he knows the repercussions if it were to somehow get to Starfleet.

Everything else it seems, is not fine.

Jaebum’s just gotten off a call with JYP. He’s been walking fine on his own for a while, and apparently, they see an end to his rehabilitation soon. Which will mean he will finally be able to step back in as captain after an entire year.

But the Admiral feels like Jaebum has performed beautifully as acting captain, and said he wouldn’t mind remaining a ground officer at Starfleet for a while, because it would give him more time with his family. So, he gave him a choice. Jaebum can either choose to stay as captain, or he can let Park take over. He doesn’t make him choose at once, giving him time to think over the proposition.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to either option. Jaebum loves being in charge, and would miss the feeling of leading his own crew. JYP stepping back in would demote him back down to first officer, but there are certain restrictions not imposed on that position. There is no rule about first officers and fellow crew members, which means he and Jinyoung could be together openly without worrying about Starfleet finding out and punishing them.

It’s a lot for him to think about. He tells Jinyoung as much when they’re standing on the bridge overlooking the crew together.

“You are obviously going to choose what you want most,” the vulcan says confidently. And he’s right. Jaebum just has to figure out which one that is first.

The deck is silent while all his officers work in peace. He loves this place and wants to keep being captain, but something’s telling him being with Jinyoung is worth more. He’ll continue to think on it.

“Uhhh, Captain?” Youngjae breaks his concentration. The lieutenant looks frazzled as he tears his headpiece down so it falls around his neck. “I’m getting something weird coming through the communicator. I’ve heard it before, but I can’t place from where.” The officer switches from direct headset to speaker, and soon everyone knows what he’s talking about.

It’s frail and high-pitched, eerily familiar though Jaebum can’t seem to place it either. Jinyoung takes a listen too, but cannot find a source of the non-human sound. An odd sense of deja-vu crawls up Jaebum’s spine as he looks around, feeling like he’s been in this exact situation before -Jinyoung next to him and Youngjae playing a shrill noise that no one could guess.

His eyes shoot open as he remembers why everything feels so similar. Even though it was a year ago, he still remembers it clearly. Youngjae had pointed the noise out, and then Jackson read something coming out on the scanners before…

“Jackson put the shields up now!”

The helmsman startles, as does everyone else. “What? Why? There’s nothing out there.”

There might not seem like there’s anything out there now, but if his hunches are correct, there will be. “Lieutenant that’s an order now put them up!”

Jackson and the rest startle at his shouting, but regardless he follows Jaebum’s directions.

“Increase weapons to full power.”

“But why?” “Captain what is going-”

An ear-piercing tone rips through the hull.

Jaebum only has three seconds to react before pandemonium ensues.

In the blink of an eye the ship gets slammed into by full force from an unknown presence. The power of the first blast knocks Jaebum onto his back, but once he absorbs the shock waves he’s back in action. The bridge crew litter the floor as they attempt to make it back to their seats, but another blast sweeps their feet out from under them.

The captain manages to stumble onto Jackson’s station, cursing himself for getting them into this situation again. But he’s prepared this time. The shields are up and there will be absolutely no casualties. He will find out who’s behind this.

The shields allow them some time to protect themselves from the onslaught of charges, but it won’t hold out forever. Jaebum watches the glass to see an older ship appear from thin air, the tirade of bruises to their transport not stopping. Got7’s weapons reach maximum power, but Jaebum doesn’t fire them unless he needs to. Jackson clutches his arm so Jaebum runs a scan of the ship for him, all while absorbing every shock blast hauled their way.

When it seems like the Got7 isn’t going to send their own guns or missiles, the blasts cease at once, leaving them to pick up the pieces as they struggle to put everything together. Silence falls upon the bridge. The video monitor springs to life, and suddenly a grand image is displayed.

A man, no older than Jaebum himself faces the screen with dark brown hair and a heavier build. They did not consent to a video transmission, which means he was somehow able to bypass their system to project his call.

“I see you have prepared for me this time,” his lower register voice radiates through the screen menacingly, but somehow, Jaebum can’t look away.

“Who are you and what gives you the right to attack a federation ship?”

The man on the other side of the screen laughs deeply, “I’m hurt that it only took you a year to forget me. I certainly did not forget you, or the damage you caused to my ship, stranding me and postponing my mission even longer.” He bites back a chuckle, “They call me Joon.”

“It was you, last year when we were attacked,” Jaebum guesses after everything falls into place. He tries not to get angry, but as the year-long mystery unfolds before his eyes, he can’t help but loathe the person before them. It was _their_ ship and _their_ captain who had been damaged for no reason, not his. “What do you want from us?”

“Ooooh, very smart Mr…” the wild man, _Joon_ pauses, eyes drifting to the area outside of his screen. His eyes widen, “No, _Captain_ Im. Whatever happened to dear old Park Jinyoung? Don’t tell me he retired.”

If this Joon person knows who he is just by the click of a button, Jaebum is nervous to see what else he can do. He has cloaking devices and can bypass their systems, which is not a good sign. He thinks this is strange, having a conversation with the man who’s tried to destroy their ship twice now. But the longer they keep him talking the faster Jackson can get a readout of his ship, and the faster they can take him down.

“No, he was injured in the attack made by _you_ a year ago,” the captain sneers, knowing this person doesn’t even care, if he’s willing to attack a ship with no cause. Jaebum’s eyes glance down and he prays Jackson has a good reading by now.

The broader man clicks his tongue, “Then it seems I have wasted your valuable time and my weapons, if the Admiral is not aboard your ship. My deepest apologies, from one Captain to another.”

Jaebum scoffs; he doesn’t feel the sentiment. This man just attacked their ship twice, killing and injuring innocent lives, and now he’s playing off of their mercy. It’s not sincere at all, which makes the captain emit even more rage. “What do you want with Admiral Park?”

“Oh the Admiral and I go way back,” Joon chuckles, a most sinister sound. Then he sighs dramatically, snapping his fingers. “Sorry I do not have time to kill you, as I have a very important date with an old friend.” The foe’s fingers settle at his own controls, “But don’t fret, I am years before and after your time. I hope someone discovers your ship soon. Bon voyage.”

The screen goes black before Jaebum has time to ask what he means by that, but it would have been futile anyway. Before Jaebum has a chance to lock the weapons onto the ship, the machines whir like they’ve all overheated at once. When the sound finally stops, the lights go out and cascade the crew in complete darkness. By the way none of the computers or hard drives spring to life when they probe them, the captain registers they must have lost all power. Meaning, Joon has technology far more advanced than a simple starship if he’s able to hack their system and set their controls.

The Got7 losing power gives him the chance to destroy them once and for all if he wanted. But he doesn’t, shifting into warp speed that sends his ship disappearing with streaks of crystal blue streaks painting the sky.

“I don’t understand,” Jackson starts frantically, fiddling with the computers until he gives up completely when nothing budges. “How was he able to shut us down?”

“I don’t fucking know,” Jaebum scrubs a hand down his face in frustration before pulling out his communicator. Luckily, shutting down all power does not mean shutting down

 _“Don’t worry Cap, I put in a backup backup generator in case something like this happened.”_ Jaebum breathes his first sigh of relief since the day started. _“Give me a couple minutes.”_

“Please hurry,” he pockets the communicator. The faster they can get up and running, the faster they can inform Starfleet.

“I am not familiar with the technology he is employing,” Jinyoung joins them, holding onto the back of his neck. He winces in pain, and Jaebum has to hold himself back from making a fuss. “Whatever he used was able to hack its way into our system to delay us for the time being while he goes to find Admiral Park.”

“But why would be after JYP?” Jackson asks.

Jaebum has no idea. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, he’s out for blood. He would have killed everyone on board just to get to him. As soon as Bambam gets the power back, set coordinates for Earth and send a transmission to Starfleet.” Joon most likely found JYP’s location through their files, and there’s no telling what he’s going to do once he finds him. If they can contact Park first, that gives him a chance to get out while he can.

“Captain,” Jinyoung says, lowering his voice. His face fails to maintain unhinged, showing worry at the captain’s request. “You do not know who this man is or how smart he is. He could very well be sending us right into a trap.”

Jaebum understands the costs, but he was taught to never leave a man behind. Park is the reason he’s where he is today; he believed in him when no one else did. JYP has been like a second father to Jaebum, and he’ll be damned if he loses another one.

“I understand the risks, but this is Admiral Park we’re talking about. This is his ship, and we’re still technically his crew.”

Bambam finally gets the power back on a few minutes later. They try to send a message to Park on Earth, but the transmission fails to go through. Starfleet seems unreachable too, so they do the only thing they can. Jackson plugs in Earth’s coordinates, and they disappear into the vast emptiness of space.

 

 

Because they’re racing against the clock, only Jinyoung and Jaebum teleport down to the planet. Joon had a good fifteen minutes on them, but thankfully enough they weren’t too far from the Milky Way and arrive within the hour by warp speed.

They’ve never been to the Admiral’s apartment themselves, but it’s nestled in one of the taller buildings that reaches the skyline. The captain and commander set their phasers to stun and line themselves at the entrance. Jinyoung tries the door but finds it locked, and when Jaebum gives the go ahead, he kicks it in.

Unknowing of what they will encounter the pair aim their phasers ahead, trudging into the room cautiously. The lights are off, drowning the small apartment in darkness.

“Park?!” Jaebum calls out, but to the response of white noise. It’s possible that no one’s home and JYP somehow managed to get out, but a faint squeak from the next room as the two officers spinning on their heels.

Jaebum leads first, inching the room’s door open slowly as a precaution. When he gets the door open wide enough for him to take in the room, he gasps before dropping his weapon to the side. Jinyoung comes to stand next to him, eyes searching the space until they fall on the broken sight.

The body of Admiral Park Jinyoung lay crumpled on the floor, painted in his own blood. Jaebum is too shell-shocked to move, it ends up being Jinyoung who takes the lead as he rushes to the admiral’s side. He’s got a deep laceration in his chest, but he’s still breathing, which tells Jinyoung they’ve only got so much time to act before he loses his life.

To help slow down the bleeding Jinyoung uses his hand to apply pressure to the wound. It’s hard to tell if it works, because there’s already so much blood. At the touch Admiral Park’s eyes open a crack and he coughs out blood, staining his bottom lip. Jinyoung looks back to see Jaebum missing from his place, farther in the other room on his communicator, likely calling Starfleet or an ambulance.

Jinyoung knows well that the admiral isn’t going to last very long. They have minutes at most, so Jinyoung does the only thing he can to help, if only to take away the pain. He extends his other hand not covered in blood and lays it flat upon the older’s face.

Immediately, Jinyoung is transported to the mind of his senior in hopes to absorb everything he’s feeling. His skin prickles with ice, his head feels weightless, and his limbs anchor to the floor. He feels lighter now, but doesn’t miss the excruciating pain that radiates from every cell in his body with each intake of breath. The admiral is scared; too scared to move, but also unable to due to the blood loss. The fear JYP feels now soaks into Jinyoung’s bones until he’s shaking. Admiral Park does not want to die, but he knows his passing will not be without reason.

His brain shifts, and all of a sudden there’s a knife sticking out of his chest and he’s collapsing onto his knees. A man towers before him frowning; it’s most definitely Joon. The assailant doesn’t break eye contact as he removes the knife and kicks him down. The pain is too much to handle, and Jinyoung can’t breathe.

All of a sudden the visions shifts, and the vulcan’s given a series of images. He sees Joon, younger but still angry. There are six other men with him of various ages -they seem to look up to him. He watches these men -no, these _boys_ \- shake with fear as they are injected with something and are fed images he doesn’t understand. The vulcan can only see them through the eyes of the admiral, but he can still sense their pain. Then there’s yelling, and then ice. Tons and tons of ice surrounding the room. Each face screams. A computer screen pops up. _Bangtan Project: Closed._

One face emerges from the ice. A code flashes across his eyes -87540. Park and several Starfleet admirals swim into his vision. They all crowd around to watch Joon as he puts together what appears to be a large military grade weapon. The vision ends and Jinyoung is brought back to his senses by Jaebum’s hand on his shoulder.

Jinyoung doesn’t know how to piece the visions together yet, but he knows something about it is definitely wrong. The admiral is barely breathing, but uses the last amount of energy he has left to pull at Jinyoung’s collar.

“Rura… Penthe,” he whispers so silently Jinyoung almost misses it. His hand releases its hold on him, falling to the ground. The admiral’s chest compresses from his last breath, eyes glazing over. He’s gone.

It hits Jaebum the hardest as they wait for the ambulance, clutching his head between his legs as he sobs for the man he looked up to. Jinyoung does his best to comfort him, but there’s only so much he can do when someone like JYP has died.

Before the coroner and medical team can survey the room, Jinyoung finds the admiral’s keys on his nightstand and pockets them. There’s something bigger going on here than just a simple murder. Joon was angry enough at something JYP had done to kill him, and that thing lies in the memory of Jinyoung’s brain. It also probably lies in the files JYP’s stored. Even though it’s breaking so many rules, Jinyoung has to break into his office to see. He replays the Admiral’s last words in his head, unknowing of what they could mean.

He knows Jaebum is hurting and wants this Joon guy taken down as soon as possible, but Jinyoung warns him not to say anything to Starfleet. He’s afraid an even bigger conspiracy is at hand here that could involve several other higher-ups, if what the visions were to go by. Jaebum is reluctant, but he trusts Jinyoung with everything he has, so he agrees to lie.

When they’re all washed up and Jaebum has calmed down long enough to breath normally, Jinyoung relays every moment from the mind meld with Park. It takes Jaebum back, but he understands why Jinyoung wanted him to lie. He trusts Jinyoung is onto something big, and lets him lead them to the admiral’s office, knowing if they were to be caught they’d be charged with treason against Starfleet.

There’s no one around when they enter the office, but news travels slow and likely they’re the only one’s who know about Park’s death. They set themselves up at his computer, and while at one point Jinyoung was annoyed at Jaebum’s hacking skills, now he’s pushing for them to be used.

Jaebum gets into the computer’s system easy enough, and Jinyoung has to trace his mind back to think of _something_ from the vision that could steer them in the right direction. His eyes snap open as he remembers the words ‘Bangtan’, typing them into the search bar. Nothing pops up the first time, so Jaebum runs an encryption. A folder pops up, labeled ‘Bangtan Project’, and Jaebum clicks it. Seven profiles pop open, each one of them a picture of a different guy, but Jinyoung recognizes their faces from the visions easily.

When they come across the familiar face of the man who had attacked them hours ago, Jaebum opens the tab. “Kim Namjoon,” he reads, hatred dripping off his tongue. “Age: 23. Class: Superhuman. Status: Active.” Jaebum looks to him in confusion, “This guy’s a fucking superhuman?”

“It would appear so. It could explain how he was able to hack into our ship.” They continue, rushing to read the other six profiles before someone catches them.

Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, and Jeon Jungkook. All listed all superhumans, all listed as inactive. If Namjoon is the only active one, then that could only mean…

“The ice,” Jinyoung recalls, eyes swimming with the vision of the scared face unmoving. If Namjoon was frozen and then reanimated, that means Starfleet needed him for something, or was just saving him for later. There’s only one way that’s possible. “He’s cryogenically froze him.”

“But why?”

“I am not sure, but I know Namjoon was building them a weapon far more advanced in technology.” Jinyoung squints his eyes. “Rura Penthe.”

“What the hell is Rura Penthe?”

“I have never heard of it, but I think it is a planet,” the vulcan guesses. From the vision, it looked icy, like some of the tundra filled ice giants from the Milky Way. He takes over the computer keys and types the name in. It’s immediately met with a match. “Rura Penthe, Class D ice giant.” He pulls the coordinates and plugs them onto the computer’s mapping software, only to be met with nothing, like it fails to exist. Well, the coordinates exist, but the planet does not.

“How is that possible?” Jaebum quizzes, typing them in again. “How can the planet exist but the coordinates be wrong?”

“It appears someone is trying to erase the planet from the database,” he assumes. Which means Jinyoung was right, and there are far greater forces at play here. “Whatever is on that planet, they do not want us knowing about it.”

 

 

Jaebum puts aside his grieving for the time being. Yes, it hurts that the only other father figure he looked up to just passed away before his own eyes, and it hurts even more knowing the man was hiding things. Obviously he doesn’t have all the information, but based on the images Jinyoung received, he knows there was something very illegal and very inhumane he was apart of. But he can’t think about those implications right now; he doesn’t want to have to accept the new reality of his departed friend.

It’s a risky decision, but Jaebum knows they have to figure out what JYP was hiding and why it’s so important that it was worth killing for. They depart from the planet before Starfleet can question them on anything and turn off their communication systems for the time being. Starfleet is possibly involved in whatever’s happening, which means trust no one that isn’t aboard their ship.

When they inform the crew about their mission and give Jackson the coordinates, he looks back and asks why they’re making a trip into the middle of open space. Jaebum tells him to just set their course, and he can ask all the questions he wants later. The disappearance of Rura Penthe on their navigation systems further feeds into the theory that someone wants to erase it. Whatever the reason, they’re going to find out.

They’re traveling cautiously, making sure no one is following them, but Starfleet hasn’t noticed their presence missing, so they speed up faster as they reach their destination.

The planet, Rura Penthe, just like Jinyoung predicted, is real. It’s roughly the size and shape of Pluto, and the frothy white textures nearly blind the ship as they begin their descent. With one thing now confirmed in their investigation, Jaebum wonders what else lay beneath the frozen tundra. Their scanners are on as they circle around, hoping something will pop up so they aren’t going in with nothing.

It takes only a few minutes for the scanners to pick up a settlement. there are no traces of human life forms to be found, so they dare trek into the fluttering void. The ship accommodates for all types of weather, so Jaebum, Jinyoung, Mark, and Jackson don the heaviest snow jackets and boots they can find and pace into the cold. Mark joins them as a precaution, while Jackson is the muscle to back them up is anything goes wrong.

The settlement is small, no bigger than a home, stretching on stilts across the snow in a rectangular fashion. The fast winds send icy daggers of snowflakes slicing at their skin, so they enter the hobble quickly. Looking around, it’s clear that someone was here, but it doesn’t look like recently. The room is vaguely office-like, only left in complete array like someone was dragged out.

There’s a slight squeak in the floor as they investigate, and Jackson ends up tripping over a carpet, knocking it out of place. He notices something odd when he moves to put it back. “Hey guys, my clumsiness is finally useful, look at this.”

Jackson pulls the rug all the way back, revealing a cliche hollywood style door, leading to who knows what. Phasers raise when he opens it, but the only thing they are met with is a staircase descending into darkness.

Jaebum makes the first move, reaching for his flashlight. Even though small dark corners terrify him, he’s on a mission to find the truth which outweighs his fear in that moment. His crewmembers follow diligently as he leads them through a dark tunnelway, temperatures dropping even lower as they reach a metal door. He finds it locked, so whatever they’re looking for must be in the next room or close by.

There’s a keypad nestled on the wall, and Jaebum slaps himself for bringing them all the way here only to be beaten out by ten buttons.

“Try 87540,” Jinyoung breathes in his ear. “The admiral showed me the code when I entered his mind.”

A green light beeps when he puts the code in, followed by the sound of the door unbolting. Jaebum wastes no time leading them in, but stops shortly when his eyes take in the frosty room. He nearly drops his flashlight, Jinyoung, Mark, and Jackson all sharing the same faces of disbelief.

Before them stand seven chambers of solid ice. Encased in the ice are young men, and by the looks of the heart monitors on the side of each chamber, they are still alive. So this is what no one was meant to find out about, men under cryogenic freezing. And JYP had something to do with it.

These men were put into freezing for a reason, and Jaebum has to find out why. He examines each face and name, matching them to the profiles he and Jinyoung stumbled across earlier. But when he reaches the last one, he’s startled to find it empty until he reads the name: _Kim Namjoon._ It raises so many more questions, specifically the reasons why Namjoon was reanimated and the others were not.

“Mark,” the captain eyes the whiteness of his breath. “What are their chances of still having their memories?”

The doctor shivers from under his coat. “Hard to say, but if they really are superhumans, then it’s very high. Why, you’re not thinking-?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking,” he interrupts. “This is the reason Namjoon went after JYP, because he was apart of this. He did something to these people, and Namjoon wanted revenge. We have to know why, and it’s not like admiral is around to tell us.”

He renders the room silent at his abrasive mention of JYP, but it’s the truth. He’s slowly accepting the fact that his mentor no longer fits the perfect image of him, and uncasing these people will tell Jaebum if he needs to face the facts or not. It will also give these people their lives back.

Jaebum steadies a hand the chamber of Min Yoongi. Near his heart monitor lay a series of buttons, but only two catch his eye. The ‘dormant’ button glows green, but underneath is a similar red switch, labeled ‘active.’ Jaebum presses it.

“Jinyoung, tell the crew to get their asses down here, and have them gather as many blankets as possible. We’re melting these popsicles.”

 

 

Three hours and four dozen wool blankets later, the six superhumans are fully thawed and brought on board the ship to be monitored under Mark’s care. To raise their body temperatures to reanimation levels, Mark and the nurses set the men in over sized tubs full of hot water and give them oxygen masks so they don’t drown. Their limbs will twitch occasionally, making everyone freeze in alarm until they realize it’s all apart of the reanimation process.

Yugyeom seems to be stuck observing one of the superhumans as he sinks in the water, so Jaebum asks if everything’s okay.

“Jeon Jungkook,” the ensign says to himself. “I used to know a kid with that name back in middle school, but he disappeared our second year and no one heard from him again. For his sake, I hope it’s not the same person.”

Thirty minutes pass before the boys of the Bangtan Project begin waking up.

Kim Seokjin is the first to spring up from the water, eyes red and arms raised in defense as he backs himself defensively into a corner. He nearly takes Mark’s head off with his swing, and Jaebum starts to wonder if this was a good idea or not.

“Who are you?!” He screams, fists poised and ready for anyone who comes his way.

Jaebum steps forward to diffuse the situation. He speaks softly so he doesn’t set the man off. “My name is Jaebum, and I am captain of this ship. These are my officers, they will not hurt you. You are on the USS Got7.”

Seokjin flinches slightly, eyes darting around the people that surround him. “Are you of Starfleet?” Jaebum shakes his head. The older man blinks back, startled. “Do you work for Park Jinyoung?”

There’s nothing but cold hard fear emanating in his eyes when he says the name, like he’s a monster. It makes Jaebum wonder if he really is, and what he did to them to make them cower at his name.

“No, Admiral Park passed away,” Jaebum tries to bring some comfort. “Starfleet doesn’t know we’re here. We came to revive you when we learned of your existence.”

The superhuman seems to loosen up at the words, but he’s still cautious, shivering from the cold as water drips from his hair. “But why?” He asks defensively, like he’s afraid they’ll torture him.

It breaks Jaebum’s heart that Seokjin believes there’s some ulterior motive.

“So you can live.”

Seokjin doesn’t fully trust them yet, but that’s okay. The nurses bring him another blanket as he gets used to feeling things again, and he hungrily scarfs down the food they bring him. It could have only been so long he went without eating.

Jimin is the second one to wake up, scared and cold until he sees Seokjin. It comforts him and they hug briefly before Jimin is pulled from the water and given a towel. Hoseok emerges third, then Yoongi, Jungkook, and finally Taehyung, all shaken by their surroundings until they see the other boys. They look happy to all be together, like normal boys in a normal friendship. No one would guess they posses super human abilities or were ever mistreated.

But Jaebum and his crew know, and he needs to get to the bottom of it.

He’s pacing with Jinyoung as they try to come up with a plan, Mark checking their vitals as they regain the colors of their cheeks and devour what’s brought to them. It turns out that this Jungkook is the same kid Yugyeom used to know in middle school, even if they barely recognize each other now. It’s only when the small one, Jimin, looks around and notices something off that Jaebum decides playtime is over.

“Wait, where’s Joonie?”

“We don’t know, I’m sorry,” Jaebum informs, much to the confusion from the others. “But he’s alive, we’ve encountered him twice now. Once last year and earlier today, which means he’s been awake for far longer than you have. He’s attacked us twice and killed Admiral Park for reasons we don’t fully understand.”

The Bangtan boys seem not to understand either, mouths dropping and audible gasping at the use of their friend and ‘killed’ in the same sentence. Jaebum doesn’t blame them; he’s having a hard time accepting this image of JYP, so he can’t image what they must be feeling after hearing their friend’s a murderer.

Jinyoung stands beside, carrying off his sentence. “We believe your friend was rehabilitated to make an advanced weapon for Starfleet. But somehow he managed to get away and soon sought revenge on Park Jinyoung. I believe your friend will seek revenge on anyone else involved, and then search for you six. In his last moments, Admiral Park showed me images of the Bangtan Project, but he gave no reason as to why or how. We are hoping you could give us some insight as to what happened to you.”

While all six look to each other searching for what to say or if they should even say it at all, eventually the one named Hoseok steps forward.

“We were taken from our homes very young,” the dark-haired man begins, clutching onto his blanket firmly. “I was fourteen, but Jungkook is the youngest; he was only 11. Apparently we had some advanced gene that if activated would make us stronger than regular humans.”

“They told us we were going to be superheros,” Jungkook chimes in from where he’s nestled under Seokjin’s arm. “But they lied.”

“They kept us hidden away for years testing us,” Hoseok continues. “They would give us injections once a week and play us images that we didn’t understand. We trained for hours on end to be these people they wanted, and I guess the injections finally activated our genes, because we became so different in only a few weeks.”

The other shorter one, Yoongi, slaps at Jungkook’s arms. “Yeah, this one grew a foot in only five days. But they kept training and injecting us, and eventually it got too much. Namjoon was the first to speak up about it, but they refused to let us leave.”

“We tried once,” murmurs Taehyung in the corner, a face so radiant it’s hard to imagine he was an icicle not hours ago. “Joonie led us when we tried to break out, but they found out and locked us up. He was treated the most unfairly, and it showed. But,” he stops to let out a shaky breath, eyes glossing over. “He said he’d get us out no matter what.”

“So then, if they were lying, what were they really molding you into?” Jaebum asks.

Hoseok resumes speaking. “They got angry after we tried to escape, and told us the fate of the world rested in our hands, that we were to become these… super soldiers to take on the klingons. But then the treaty was signed, so there was no use for us anymore.”

Yoongi finishes Hoseok’s thought with the rest of the crew watching on with sorrow. “Namjoon started showing signs of aggressive behavior too, and Park thought we would be the same. So my guess is they thought we would be a threat to humanity and put us in ice until they found use for us.”

It’s a lot to take in, but Jaebum and the crew take the information in stride. Even if it means his image of JYP is tainted forever, he’s ready to accept it if it means helping these innocent people.

“So then why Namjoon?” Jinyoung inquires, pointed look at the six. “Not that you all are not extraordinary, but why revive him alone to build weapons?”

Seokjin looks up, small smile barely evident on the space between his lips. “Joonie was always the smartest out of all of us. He knows how to do stuff with technology that we can't.”

Jaebum replays the information he’s gathered so far in his head. These seven boys were taken from their homes and basically experimented on and raised to become super soldiers to take down the klingons if a war broke out. They were thought to be a threat to society, and put into cryofreeze. But Starfleet needed someone to build them an advanced weapon, so they revived Namjoon, only it backfired and he went on a revenge rampage, murdering one and injuring hundreds.

It makes Jaebum sick to his stomach. “Well you don't have to worry anymore. But we have to know who the other people are that are involved, and if Starfleet know.”

“It was Park Jinyoung, Sung Bomiel, and Park Noyoung,” Seokjin lists off the tips of his fingers. “We were not kept on Starfleet grounds, and they were so secretive about it that I don't think Starfleet knew about what was going on. They kept saying ‘'If Starfleet finds out…’”.

If that's the case, then it means there's not a big cover up by the agency Jaebum’s dedicated all his time and life to. If they can get to Earth and bring the superhumans in as evidence, the other Starfleet admirals, Noyoung and Bomiel, will have to be imprisoned. The Bangtan boys will get to go home and lead normal lives, and hopefully they can decide a plan to arrest Namjoon.

But it also begs the question of what kind of weapon the admirals were making him build, and why. It’s not like they’re in the middle of a war; there should be no use for advanced weaponry of that caliber.

He talks to Jinyoung about it when they’re alone, after departing to the bridge to set coordinates for home. They enter the elevator together, and like Jinyoung knows his heart’s heavy, he presses the emergency stop button and turns to him without a word.

Jaebum was okay with delaying the inevitable grief, but when Jinyoung grabs his face in both hands and forces him to look into his eyes, it’s suddenly too much to handle. He sighs shakily, blinking back tears.

“I am so sorry, my love,” the vulcan, while at first had no clue how to care for humans, wraps a comforting blanket of warmth around Jaebum as he brushes a strand from his eyes. Jinyoung can see his downtrodden eyes, enveloping him in his embrace before he can say another word. He’s so good at leveling Jaebum when he needs it.

Jaebum doesn’t cry, able to calm himself down when he tucks his head into his boyfriend’s neck. “Nothing stays constant in my life. My dad died and my mom went crazy. JYP wasn’t who I thought he was, and now he’s dead too. ” He holds onto Jinyoung like he’s the only one left in the world, squeezing just a bit tighter, like he’ll disappear if he doesn’t. “The only constant thing in my life is you, so don’t you dare leave me like they did.”

At the release of his hands, Jinyoung pulls away, but only to move back in to press a kiss to Jaebum’s forehead. “I promise.”

They leave Rura Penthe once the pair return to the bridge, ascending through the blinding clouds of white from the planet’s frigid storm. They can’t see two feet in front of them, which makes for an oh so perfect scenario when a flash of red shines through the cloud. It takes them longer than it should to realize what it is: another ship.

“Jackson, evasive maneuvers, quick!”

Jackson works his magic and gets the Got7 to tilt on it’s axis, just narrowly avoiding striking into the other ship. No one has time to question who or what it is before it turns around for a counter attack. The foreign ship sends blast after blast spiralling into the back of the Got7. The attack is all too familiar, so Jaebum can only guess who it is.

“It’s Namjoon sir!” Jackson shouts. “How is it possible he found our location?” Jaebum doesn’t know, and they don’t have time to find out.

“Shields at sixty-six percent, Captain!” Calls Yugyeom, struggling to remain in his seat as the blasts hit.

The shields lowering is bad, but all they have to do is get out of the planet’s atmosphere and they can jump into warp, where nothing can catch up to them. Jaebum looks to Yugyeom, unknowing of how much damage they’ve already accumulated. “Put all power into the thrusters, I want us out of here now!”

“Power at one hundred percent, sir.”

 _Dammit_ , he thinks. It’s not good enough. Jackson navigates the ship is a zigzag motion to avoid as many blasts as possible, but it’s still doesn’t give them enough protection, dropping the shields down to 43%.

“Enable all port missiles and aim it for that ship,” the captain decides, hoping it will slow Namjoon down and give them time to escape.

“All missiles locked on target sir. Firing in three, two, one.”

A string of missiles ring out from the back of the Got7, colliding gracefully into the sides of the ship in pursuit. But it does nothing to slow the superhuman down.

They rise from the atmosphere soon enough, breaching into space territory. It’s all Jaebum needs to get his ship out of there. “Jackson, get us into warp right now!”

“You got it,” the helmsman waits for the warp core to charge up, gripping his hand on the lever. “Taking us to warp in three. Two. One-”

Another explosion rocks the hull, and Jackson’s hand slips from the lever. This explosion is harder than any blast they’ve taken before, so when they start spinning out of control and the alarms start going off, Jaebum knows something’s gone wrong. The blast plunges the bridge into a sea of flashing red lights as the crew struggle to get to their seats.

“We’ve lost engine two!” Yugyeom screams out frantically. “Jaebum the shields are at six percent, we’re sitting ducks out here!”

 _Shit shit shit_. He has to think. He has to get them out of this somehow. If Namjoon has weapons strong enough to take out one of their engines, another blow in just the right place could rip the ship apart, killing them all. They’re in deep trouble with one engine out already. They can still travel home safely, but without that second engine they can’t make it to warp, giving Namjoon the opportunity to blow them to bits.

Bless Jackson for his superior piloting skills, as he skillfully steadies the ship so they aren’t spinning out of control. It gives them hope for a moment, but the enemy ship rounds on them again, weapons aimed in blatant attack formation. Namjoon sends another shot, lowers the shields to three percent. If this is it, Jaebum thinks he’s served his crew well, and is sorry he couldn’t get them out of this.

The doors to the bridge open then, all six of the superhumans plus Mark breathing rapidly as they gather inside.

“Please let me speak to him,” the eldest, Seokjin says. “He’ll kill everyone on this ship unless he knows we’re here.”

It’s risky because it gives them away, but Jaebum goes with it in hopes that it will save all of their lives. “Youngjae patch us through!” He demands at the same time another blast hits, knocking their shields down to one percent.

“Joonie. It’s me, Jin,” Seokjin says outloud. The shots stop immediately. “It’s all of us, Hoseok, Yoongi, Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung.” The video screen pixelates, Namjoon’s face suddenly coming to fruition. He’s distinctly shocked to have heard Seokjin’s voice. “Namjoon, what are you doing? Are you really going to destroy an entire ship? They’ve said you’ve killed people, the man we knew wouldn’t do that.”

“Then maybe I’m not the man you knew,” he snarls from beyond the screen. “I did it for us. Starfleet turned us into soldiers and locked us away on some frozen planet. These people are of Starfleet, they are far from innocent if they support an organization that raises children up for war.”

It’s Jimin that steps forward now, and Namjoon’s eyes visibly soften. He’s always had a soft spot for Jimin. “Joonie, you can’t believe that. These people are kind. They saved us and want to give us our lives back. Only a few members of Starfleet knew about us. Please.”

The larger man sits from his console thinking pensively, biting his lip like he’s thinking over Jimin’s decision. But all too quickly his eyes grow hard. “I’m sorry Jimin, but I can’t spare a single soul. They know about us now, and soon will everybody else. We’ll be taken to that room again.”

He’s wrong, and everyone knows it. Jaebum wants to take over so they can speak captain to captain, but Seokjin speaks up again, disappointment masking his face.

“If you’re going to destroy a ship full of innocent people, then I’m sorry Namjoon, but you’re going to have to do it with us on board.”

The statement has everyone, including Jaebum regarding them with impressed looks.

Before Jaebum can confront the man wreaking havoc on his ship, Namjoon clicks his tongue. “Actually Jin, I won’t.”

In less than a second the white swirls only attributed to beaming engulf their whole bodies. They look to Jaebum in panic. “Shit, can anyone intercept the transport signal?” He’s never seen something with the ability to transport people from someplace that wasn’t the launch pad, it must be one of the advanced technologies Namjoon’s been working on.

“Negative sir.”

The superhumans get lost in the white wisps, disappearing without a trace. It leaves only Jaebum and his crew at the mercy of a madman, and they’ve only got one percent of their shields left. One more blow and he can take them out with ease.

“Thank you for this little cat and mouse game,” Namjoon smiles sinisterly. “Thank you for leading me right to them. I left Park alive just long enough for you to arrive because I knew he would tell you everything.”

“But how did you find us?” Jaebum dares to ask. They’re dead in a few minutes anyway, so it doesn't hurt.

“Me and the boys, we’re connected. What they feel, I feel. What I feel, they feel. When you woke them up I felt it; I knew immediately where they were. Good day to you, Captain. Enjoy your last few minutes well.”

The picture fades.

Jaebum turns to look at his crew, all undeserving of this. “I’m sorry.” He takes his seat, buckling himself in. The rest of the crew follow. They wait for the inevitable.

The first blast sparks the top of the ship’s saucer, effectively knocking out the shields. The second blast hits, knocking out the power to the bridge. A third blast hits the hull, and then a final shot shakes the entire ship before they fall into darkness and the shots stop altogether.

The Got7 is knocked into Rura Penthe’s orbit and starts falling.

“Captain we’re caught in the planet’s gravity!” Jackson informs while his system beeps at him. Meanwhile the ship spins on it’s axis as it drops down lower towards the planet. Another explosions rocks them to the side, but this time it’s somewhere internal. “Our gravity systems are failing!”

“Everyone hold on!”

The Got7 reaches incredible speeds as she’s sucked back onto the planet, dropping high altitudes. They are powerless to stop it.

“Jackson pour any remaining power we have into the stabilizers!”

“I can’t!” the lieutenant admits in defeat a few seconds later. “The warp core’s been damaged sir, it’s offline.”

Jaebum slams his head into the back of his seat in frustration. “Is there anyway we can fix it?”

 

 

“The warp core’s been damaged sir, it’s offline.” 

“Is there anyway we can fix that?”

Jinyoung’s already got his seat belt off before Jaebum has a chance to finish his sentence. “I can,” he says, raising to his feet on wobbling legs. “I helped build the core, I can get it back online.” He used his knowledge on electrodes and power to make the core from scratch using other models as a base; he’s built in features that no ordinary cores have just in case this sort of thing was to happen.

“Are you sure?” Jaebum questions, eyeing him with panic.

“Of course.”

Jaebum gives Jinyoung a long and silent look, but he knows what it means. _Come back to me_ , it says. The captain nods once, and Jinyoung’s out of there before anyone could say anything otherwise. He knows he has to make it fast, because the ship is crashing down onto Rura Penthe, and if they can’t get power back soon they’ll be incinerated on entry. It doesn’t help that the Got7 is spiraling out of control, inclining as she falls from grace. Jinyoung tries not to lose his footing when she tilts on her side, causing debris and a few unfortunate officers to come tumbling down the hallway. He doesn’t have time to think about those officers right now, too busy putting one foot in front of the other as he descends through the ship’s maze to save their lives.

He nearly falls onto his face when he reaches the engine room, met with burning hot smoke from the broken engine. The ship inclines to the right this time, and suddenly there’s a body slamming into his. Jinyoung’s able to catch him before they both fall, ending up leaning against a pole for support. By the way his hair glows white and skinny limbs flail, he already knows who it is.

“Bambam what is happening to the ship?!”

The ensign finds his footing and turns back surprised. “We’re falling out of orbit!”

“Yes I know that. I meant the core. The core has no power.”

“It’s misaligned!” Bambam has to scream over the pressures imploding around them, falling behind Jinyoung as he leads them to the core’s containment. “The attack knocked it out of alignment. We won’t have power, so this is it. We’re going to die.” The ensign spaces out momentarily while Jinyoung fusses over the controls. “I’m going to die before I’ve even had sex with Yugyeom.”

Jinyoung uses the only force he finds necessary to bring Bambam back to reality, pinching the ensign’s neck above his pulse. “Bambam, please will you focus!” He scans the core’s network mainframe, remembering the option they have of manually shifting power. “We can go in and shift the power ourselves.”

“But that won’t do anything unless we get that core aligned,” he points to the glass door to the core’s chamber, black caution sign painted in the middle. “And the only way the core’s getting aligned is if we go in and do it ourselves.”

It’s a deadly task. The core is powered by nuclear energy, and would surely kill anyone who entered. But if it means saving this ship, the crew, Jackson, _Jaebum_ , well then there’s no other option is there? One life lost for a couple thousand isn’t so bad. Jinyoung’s already made up his mind.

“I’ll do it.”

“What?!” Bambam screams in angry confusion. “You’ll be dead before you even get to the core. No human being can survive being exposed to that much radiation for long.”

Jinyoung will die, he knows the risks. He’s not afraid of dying. There’s nothing Bambam can say that will convince him it’s not the right thing to do. He’s grown to love all the people on this ship, no matter how many times they tease and make fun of him. They deserve to live.

“Good thing I am only half human then.”      

Jinyoung doesn’t give him a chance to react before he’s pinching the skin of Bambam’s neck so he won’t get in his way. The engineer falls unconscious immediately, Jinyoung propping him in the nearest seat and fastening him in.

Jinyoung knows he’s going to die. He’s accepted it in these last few moments. He understands that once he’s gone, all vulcan life will cease to exist. Vulcans do not pass normally like humans do when they just lie down and die. Vulcans have a distinct separation between body and soul when they pass on. Before the vulcan dies, he or she will usually transfer their soul, or _katra_ as it’s called on vulcan, to another person to be laid to rest separately from the body. It keeps the katra alive so it may move on to better places.

Jinyoung cannot die with his katra still in his body, as it will prevent him from passing on. He only has one choice, and he hopes Bambam will understand why he did it. Without a moment to spare he melds with the ensign’s mind, but instead of unlocking his emotions he pushes his katra out through his fingertips.

The process is over in just a few seconds, but somehow he feels a lot different than he thought he would. More like, he feels exactly the same, and not like he’s just delivered his soul into another body. He doesn’t have to wonder how long it will take for them to notice -Jaebum is intelligent, he’ll figure it out soon enough and find away to put his soul to rest.

The vulcan opens the first door to the chamber and locks it behind him, all the while the only thing crossing though his mind being _Jaebum_. Jaebum, the impossible human he’s given himself to so willingly for the past year. The man who’s changed his life for the better and gave him a chance to live again. As Jinyoung peels open the second door to the chamber, he hopes one day Jaebum will forgive him for breaking his promise.

He feels the shift in the air immediately from the radiation. It’s thicker and pinches at every nerve in his body. The radiation is like a match has been lit at his skin, flames licking up his arms as they reach his face. Jinyoung chooses not to think about the pain, only focusing on the core nestled right in front of him, two ends perfectly misaligned.

His throat constricts when he presses his whole body against the bottom part of the reactor, using every ounce of strength he has to move it into place. His muscles are tiring as they grow weaker from the radiation, and as he looks down, he watches in awe as the skin of his hands grow blistery and start to peel.

Jinyoung disregards the pain and focuses all his strength into forcing the metal reactor to align. The pressure rips at his skin, but he’s almost got it. He’s already lost one family, he’s not going to lose another.

The vulcan musters up one last jolt of energy into his bones to push the piece into place with his back, letting out an echoing scream of agony when the power is finally connected. The effect is instant, and Jinyoung can feel the subtle shift when the ship begins ascending after a few aching moments.

Now that the core is back on Jinyoung finds it even harder to breathe. As he limps from the chamber, with his his mind away from saving the ship, he begins to feel the effects from taking in so much radiation. He’s surprised he’s managed to stay alive this long, thankful that he was and will always be a vulcan at heart.

 

 

Jaebum doesn’t know what Jinyoung did, but he did it. He got the power back to the ship right as they entered Rura Penthe’s atmosphere, and Jackson was able to send all power back into the thrusters to deliver them safely back into space. They have one engine out and damages all over the place, but they’ll be able to make it home okay. They may not be able to shift into warp, but they’ll get back to earth eventually.

The bridge crew are yelling with joy and embracing each other now that they’ve managed to survive a near collision with the planet. Yugyeom and Youngjae hug Jaebum tightly before patting him on the back, and Mark and Jackson kiss openly in front of everyone. Jaebum is proud, but would rather celebrate their survival with Jinyoung, waiting patiently for him to come back.

It’s only when Bambam’s frantic voice comes through the system’s audio that Jaebum feels every ounce of happiness fade into dust.

“Sir, you should get down here, it’s Jinyoung. Please, hurry.”

Before Bambam can even finish Jaebum’s out of his seat faster than the speed of light, ignoring the looks his officers send his way as he uses his long legs to propel himself down the hallways to the engine room.

He finds Bambam waiting outside the core. “What, what happened?”

The ensign stares at him with watery eyes. “The core wasn’t aligned. I told him not to, but Jinyoung, he in went in anyway.”

Jaebum’s eyes find the reactor’s door, heart plummeting to his stomach. He sees Jinyoung stumble from the core’s chamber, eyes half open as he leans his body against the metal walls that contain him. The vulcan shuts and locks the airtight door, feet struggling to walk forward when his eyes find Jaebum’s.

“Open the door,” Jaebum rushes forward, pleading as he watches Jinyoung through the glass chamber that separates them, unable to swallow due to the constriction of his throat.

“I can’t,” Bambam cries, trying to remain calm but failing. “The decontamination process isn’t complete. You’d flood the whole compartment.”

Jinyoung manages to make it to the door before his legs give out and he slides down painfully. Jaebum follows the movement from where he’s pressed to the other side of the glass, helpless to do anything but watch. Jinyoung’s skin is flaking, red as if it’s been burned by all the radiation. Jaebum presses his hands to the glass, hoping maybe there’s a chance he can press hard enough to transport through and be with him. The vulcan looks up at him weakly, sad eyes screaming an apology. Jaebum stops breathing.

“How is our ship?” It sounds pained, like Jinyoung is giving everything he has just to form a single sentence.

Jaebum swallows, eyes glossing over as he stares down at his lover, broken, with no way to fix him. “She’s stable, because of you,” Jaebum stops to fight back the wave of tears building behind his brave facade, still unable to accept the inevitable. “You saved the crew, Jinyoung. You knew you would die so why did you…?”

The commander breathes out steadily, wheezing with every exhale. “It was only logical. My father always said the needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few. I was not going to let another family die.” He pauses to inch his face closer to the glass, making sure Jaebum hears him well, “I know you said... you did not believe in soulmates, but I think you were mine. My t’hy’la.” They’ve never said the word soulmates out loud to each other, and the timing of it makes his heart breaks even further. “I regret that I did not tell you sooner.”

Jaebum surges forward to press his head against the glass, choking back a sob as his vision blurs. Jinyoung becomes nothing more than a sea of grey as Jaebum wills himself to keep the tears at bay, hoping that any second  now he’ll wake up from this sick dream.

“You broke your promise,” he gasps, knowing there’s nothing he can do now, watching on as only time cradles Jinyoung in its hands. Fresh tears begin their race to the finish line, and Jaebum is powerless to stop them. The same wetness pools in the vulcan’s bronze eyes. “You said you weren’t going to leave me.”

They were supposed to have years to figure this out and be together, not months. It’s not fair.

“I am sorry,” Jinyoung’s voice comes out softer now, weakening with every word he speaks. His eyes struggle to remain open, and they both know there’s not much time left. “Tell the crew I am sorry, and I hope one day they can forgive me. I hope one day you can forgive me too, Jaebum. I will always cherish our time together, even if it was short.”

“Are you scared?” He chokes out, unable to stop the tears from painting his face in a picture of heartbreak..

As his time comes to an end, Jinyoung is barely able to nod his head, but his eyes remain open, not breaking the contact with Jaebum. “I was not scared of death before,” he whispers. “But at least with you here, it will not be so bad.”

“I won’t leave you. I’ll stay by your side the entire time, okay?” It’s not much he can offer, but at least Jinyoung won’t be alone when he goes. Jaebum sits on his knees letting his sorrow leave him with every teardrop, wishing he could take Jinyoung in his arms one more time. If he knew that this was going to be their last moment together, he would have done so much more in their previous shared time.

“I love you so much, Jinyoung,” Jaebum says for the last time out loud, not caring about Bambam watching from the corner.

Jinyoung closes his eyes once, like he’s trying to manifest his last remaining energy to say goodbye. “I shall always… be yours _,_ ” he brings his hand to the glass, forming his vulcan salute. Jaebum meets the gesture, spreading his fingers out to match. “Live long… and…” Jinyoung swallows, trying to say the last words. “And…”

But it’s too much. He exhales once, but his chest never comes back up for air. Jaebum can see the moment the light leaves his eyes, as they’re left glossed over, staring blankly at him. Jinyoung’s hand slips from the door ever so slowly, and then he’s gone.

“Prosper,” Jaebum’s left to finish, unable to take his eyes away from the man he’s grown to love the past year. Soulmates must be real, because even though the concept is metaphysical, the sting scorches through him as he’s ripped in half. The band aid burns as it’s pulled from the skin, displaying the open wound.

The revelation aches, sob wracking through his whole body until it escapes with complete agony. He head falls against the glass as he breaks down, weeping openly now that Jinyoung is truly gone. It’s a pained sound that will surely catch the attention of others, but Jaebum lets himself grieve, eyes pinching together as he fights off the wave of nausea hurdling towards him. He pounds the glass with his fist once, then a second time while he sobs wetly. He tries to wipe the tears away but they can’t seem to stop, so Jaebum lets them come, hiccuping with every breath.

Bambam covers his mouth and cries softly behind him. Soon Jackson arrives, then Mark and Yugyeom, and finally Youngjae stumbles upon the sight. They watch on with broken hearts and tear streaked faces, allowing Jaebum his time as they also grieve the loss.

 

 

Namjoon is put in their custody and taken to Starfleet, thanks to the other boys of the Bangtan Project. When Namjoon transported them aboard his ship, they apparently seized control of him together, just in the lick of time before he could destroy the Got7 once and for all.

It didn’t come without costs. Namjoon had murdered Park Noyoung and Sung Bomiel, they later discovered, and because of the project, the other boys will have to stay under Starfleet’s care until they decide they can go home. It’s not the perfect solution, but it’s the best one Jaebum can give them, as he promised they’d get to go home.

Since the USS Got7 is without a first officer, it’s up to Jaebum to appoint a new one. He gives the position to Jackson, since he’s proven to command the ship with ease and because he’s saved their lives more often than not with his expert piloting skills.

They have Jinyoung’s funeral on a Monday morning. He can’t be buried on his own planet, so they lay him to rest on earth, what he considered his second home. It’s a mess of black, white, and tears, but it gives Jinyoung the proper send off. Starfleet has given him a special mausoleum in their graveyard for fallen officers since he has no one else to go and was one of the best commanders the agency had seen.

The crew surround his closed casket, silent tears flowing at the loss of their friend. Because Jaebum is the captain, he has to give Jinyoung his parting words before they can lock his body away forever. He doesn’t know what to say, because how can you say everything you want about someone you love when they’ve been wrongfully taken from you?

The crew all know about their relationship, as word travels fast on the ship. Jaebum doesn’t even care anymore, it’s not like Starfleet can do anything about it, Jinyoung’s already dead. Regardless, he keeps his speech short, ignoring the eyes watching him with every move he makes.

“Today we put to rest our dear commander and friend, Park Jinyoung. Everyday Jinyoung brought logic and reasoning to our workplace. He is the reason we are all standing here alive. He gave his life selflessly for us and our ship, and we will forever be in his debt,” shutting his eyes, Jaebum inhales. “Jinyoung,” he now speaks only to him. “You were an amazing first officer, a great friend, and an even better lover. We will never forget our time with you.”

Jaebum, Mark, and Yugyeom, with Bambam, Youngjae, and Jackson on the other side, lift the handles of the casket before setting it down inside the mausoleum. The crew go in one by one, each leaving a delicate red rose on top of the wooden box. Jaebum is the last one to say his goodbyes, setting down the only white rose.

There’s one more thing he has to leave -Jinyoung’s locket. It had fallen off sometime when they transported his body, and Jaebum held onto it until this day. He remembers feeling so much love in his heart when he opened the locket and saw something else inside. Nestled in the other half was an actual picture, as opposed to the holographic 3-D one Jaebum had put in of his parents.

He broke down again when he realized it was a picture of the crew -some terrible work photo that Starfleet insisted upon taking for their logs. But Jinyoung had it and put it in his necklace to keep with him every waking moment, so Jaebum didn’t feel right keeping it. Jinyoung should be laid to rest with something of his friends and family.

He takes the necklace out of his pocket and sets it down. He rubs his hand along the surface of the black mahogany. “Wait for me.”

The graveyard workers lock the doors of the mausoleum when he exits. Mark waits for him while the rest of the crew have undoubtedly dispersed back to the ship. He doesn’t say anything, instead slinging an arm around Jaebum’s shoulders and giving a comforting pat.

They go back to the ship because that’s what they have to do. Jaebum’s still the captain, and through thick and thin, it’s his duty to lead the crew.

 

 

_“Captain’s log, Stardate 2051.23. Today we laid our first officer and friend Park Jinyoung to rest. It seems easy to forget how to go on, but it is not in us as officers of Starfleet to give up. We will feel Commander Park’s absence everyday, and we will continue our journey together in his honor. As permanent captain in the wake of Admiral Park’s death, I want to say that I am proud of everyone on this ship, and none of your lives are taken for granted. This is Captain Im, over and out."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't leave you with that for too long so stay tuned for the epilogue soon :)


	10. Epilogue

Stardate 2051.49

 

Life on the ship without Jinyoung is different.

Jaebum knew it would be, he just never realized to what extent. While there certainly are other people to mess with, none of them bite back at him with a witty borderline technological response. With Jinyoung gone there are no more messes in the experiment lab, no more keeping everyone in check with a logical response, and no more organization.

It’s organized enough, but not in the way Jinyoung liked it and the way Jaebum is used to. Jackson is a good first officer, able to balance his workload of the position with his helmsman duties, but he’s not Jinyoung. He sometimes struggles to get information back to Jaebum on time and they miss certain deadlines, but he’s trying his best. He’s not bad, he’s just not Jinyoung.

While Jaebum was Jinyoung’s boyfriend and felt the loss heavily, Jackson was Jinyoung’s best friend and felt it just as bad. He tries to get over it and be happy, but Jaebum can see he’s still grieving in his own way. Jackson rarely smiles genuinely, more often than not it won’t reach his eyes. At least he has Mark to keep him grounded, which is more than what Jaebum has.

Mark has been a constant comfort for both him and Jackson in these times, all while battling his own sadness. Mark and Jinyoung weren’t as close as the former first officer was with Jaebum or Jackson, but they were still friends. They were still close enough that it tore a Jinyoung shaped hole in his heart.

Mark stays busy with his work, which mostly consists of studying the blood and cell samples he’d taken from the superhumans. Apparently, something in their blood causes the red cells to divide like crazy, almost like they’re repairing themselves when they’re damaged. He’s going to try and inject a sample of the blood into one of the dead tribbles they’ve found, and will let Jaebum know if something happens.

Everyone grieves in their own way, Jaebum most of all. It’s been weeks since Jinyoung passed away, but the wound is still fresh. He feels the absence when he’s on the bridge giving orders, or when they arrive on a new planet, as it was usually him and Jinyoung that would meet with whomever. Now it’s him and Jackson.

He especially feels Jinyoung’s absence when he goes back to his room after a long day and there’s no one sneaking in three minutes later. He misses everything about Jinyoung, from his beautiful smiling face to the sweetness of his voice, and touches they shared. He misses being able to hold jinyoung in his arms and kiss him. It’s pathetic -he knows- but sometimes he’ll sneak into Jinyoung’s old room at night and sleep wrapped in his unwashed sheets. No one has made a move to empty his room out, and Jaebum doesn’t really want to deal with the whole ~moving on~ thing.

It’s worse when the Vulcan Museum of History unveils its marble walls, and Jinyoung’s not there to receive it as Jaebum’s gift to him. It’s even worse knowing not a single vulcan is left in existence, and only the memories of the fallen culture are left for the public to feed off of.

Jaebum is surprised one night to be reached out to by someone he didn’t even know existed. It was possible that Jinyoung had other family since his mother was from earth, but he never thought he’d be getting a call at three in the morning from someone claiming to be Jinyoung’s aunt. His death was big news apparently, and spread all the way to Korea. Jisung reached out to him to send her condolences and inquire about what happened. She speaks fondly of Jinyoung but admits she never met him before, assuming he was already dead from the black hole that destroyed Vulcan. It’s also possible Jinyoung didn’t know of her existence as well.

Jaebum copes in his own way, even if it seems ridiculous. He gets a cat. Well, he technically doesn't mean to get a cat, it just kind of follows him onto the ship when they are stationed on Eris I. She, it’s a she. She’s a white Siamese with a black face and ears, and the most beautiful blue eyes Jaebum’s ever seen on a cat. He calls her Nora and he gives her food and water but tells himself he’ll take her back before they leave the planet. But Nora falls asleep on his bed and Jaebum can’t bring himself to move her. Nora becomes a permanent resident of the Got7, and she’s a nice thing to come back to at the end of the day.

There’s no rule about pets aboard the ship (as long as they're small), which is how Jaebum ends up with two other cats finding their way into his room. He finds Kunta, a larger black cat, rummaging through a garbage can on one of Jupiter’s moons and brings him some of Nora’s cat food. Jaebum notices a cut on his paw, and decides to take him on the ship for Mark to see. Mark isn’t a vet, which he makes sure to remind Jaebum.

“If this thing claws me I’m kicking both of you off this ship.”

Kunta doesn’t scratch Mark, but he leaves a nasty gash on Jaebum’s arm before running down the hallway. They’re sent on a wild cat chase until Jaebum can calm Kunta down and take him to his room.

He finds the last cat, Odd, cowering under someone’s porch while three dogs bark at him. Jaebum shoos the dogs away and pulls the white kitten into his arms. The kitten is really small, and when he takes him back to his room and Nora cares for him like a mother cat, Jaebum doesn't have the heart to send him back out.

 He really doesn’t mean to take them all in, he swears. They were just so helpless and cute that they happen to worm their ways into his heart. He keeps them in his room at all times (thanks to the little chase Kunta gave him), and enjoys having something to look after. Mark and the boys think he’s just trying to fill the void, like he’s found something to replace Jinyoung for the time being. He knows they’re just concerned, but they’re wrong. He loves his cats, and there is no possible way Jinyoung could ever be replaced.

The only other person who seems to take a liking to Jaebum’s cats is Bambam, who stops by occasionally to play with them when he’s bored. Bambam takes a liking to Odd especially, since they both have stark white hair. But as Bambam comes around more, Jaebum starts to notice things are just a little bit... off.

More often than not, Bambam will space out in the middle of playing with the cats. Jaebum thinks it’s just a Bambam thing until he’s approached by Commander Hwang who tells him Bambam’s been spacing out frequently down in the engine room, prohibiting him from getting his work done and putting him in danger. The ensign has also complained about skull rupturing headaches, and has seen Mark more times than he can count. Mark can only prescribe him some pain reliever and send him to bed when it happens, but Jaebum wonders if the two are connected.

He asks Bambam about it when the two are in his room dragging a laser pointer up the walls for the cats to follow.

“So, how have the headaches been lately?”

Bambam sighs, scratching the top of Odd’s head. “They’ve been getting worse. Mark wants to run a ct scan to see if I have a brain tumor or something.”

Jaebum likes the ‘or something’ better, but prays for Bambam’s sake that it’s just something that will pass. “I doubt that. But besides the headaches, is everything else okay?”

“I don’t know.” The young engineer lays on his back to put Odd on his chest, lightly dragging his hands through the white fur. “I think I’m being haunted.”

“Pfft,” the idea is outrageous, but even funnier knowing Bambam has a thing for watching those old ghost hunting tv shows. Jaebum personally doesn’t like them much. “By who?”

It’s only supposed to be lighthearted, but Bambam sits up, cold frown seared into his face. “Jinyoung.”

If this was supposed to be a joke, Jaebum’s not laughing. “Excuse me?”

“I’m not joking,” he obviously sees the way Jaebum is contemplating kicking his face in. “I’m not trying to make a joke out of his death, I would never do that! Jinyoung was my friend.”

“Then why do you think that?” Jaebum’s calmed down enough for now, but he still wants to know why when the idea would seem very unlikely.

“I just feel different, all the time now,” Bambam has stopped playing with the cats by now, bringing his knees up to his chest. “All my headaches started happening after Jinyoung died, and it’s like I feel his presence everywhere I go, like he’s watching me. Sometimes I swear I can hear his voice.”

Jaebum has felt like that too, on occasion. He’ll hear something that sounds like Jinyoung’s voice behind him, only to be met with silence. It’s a common thing people experience when they’ve lost a loved one, so he’s heard.

“I can assure you, Jinyoung is not haunting you. It’s probably all in your head.”

“But that’s just it!” He cries, hands gesturing to his cranium. “It is all in my head! Everytime I think I hear his voice, nobody else seems to hear it. It’s like his voice is nestled in here with the voice inside my head, only lower. I don’t know what to do and I’m really freaking out about it.”

Jaebum reaches out to offer Bambam a steadying grip as the officer holds his head in his hands. “Hey, hey, it’s okay.” This is venturing now into ‘voice hearing’ territory, and Jaebum doesn’t know what to say. Maybe Mark should take a look into that tumor thing after all. “I’m sure this is just you trying to grieve, okay?”

“Okay.”

Kunta is sleeping somewhere on his bed and Nora has left their game to drink, so Jaebum grabs Odd from where Bambam abandoned him. “I know you miss Jinyoung, we all do,” he says from where he smiles down at his other small baby. “But I don’t think-”

Jaebum startles when he hears something heavy hit the floor, looking up just in in time to see Bambam’s arms fall limply at his sides. He jumps up quick to see if Bambam’s just messing around, but gasps when the whites of his eyes show as they roll to the back of his head.

“Oh shit! Bambam?!”

Jaebum tries frantically hitting his cheeks to wake him up, but his eyes are still white and he’s still unresponsive. Then, the ensign starts twitching, just a little at first before spasms wrack through his whole body. The movement scares the cats, and when Bambam starts foaming at the mouth, Jaebum finds himself frightened too.

He recognizes what’s happening, having once witnessed it happen to a girl in high school, so he shifts Bambam on his side, still shaking violently. A person having a seizure has a chance of choking themselves, but that’s the only knowledge he has on the subject. He knows there’s nothing much you can do for the person until it’s over, but he calls Mark anyway.

He rubs a comforting hand down Bambam’s side, scared and helpless as he waits for the spasms to end.

 

 

The seizure ends before Mark arrives, but Bambam fails to find consciousness, which isn't normal after having one. Jaebum hauls him down to the medical bay so Mark can do a full ct scan, trying to remain calm as his officer hangs limply in his arms. They get him hooked into the brain scanning machine and inform Yugyeom, who enters already shaken and afraid. When he takes one look at his boyfriend hooked up and unresponsive, he covers his mouth to stop the cry from forming.

Jaebum relieves him of his position for the day and he stays by Bambam’s side the entire time, even when the results come back negative.

Mark pinches his brows together in disdain, “This doesn’t make any sense. He had a seizure and won’t wake up, there has to be something there.”

Jaebum’s not a doctor, so he has no clue. He knows it has something to do with the headaches and the general spaciness Bambam’s been feeling for the past couple of weeks, but he doesn’t know how. All he knows is that this is serious, and they have to figure it out soon. He’s not going to lose another officer.

“Hey I know this is a bad time,” the doctor tries, pulling him off to the side. He notices the hard lines of Jaebum’s face. “But I have some good news. Remember that dead tribble I injected with the superhumans’ blood? Well it’s alive now.” It’s great, but it’s not going to help Bambam’s situation.

“What happened to him?” “How is he doing?” Jackson and Youngjae bombard as Jaebum enters the deck to _try_ and take his mind off Bambam’s condition. Obviously, that was a mistake.

Jaebum lets out a frustrated groan and slumps into his chair, head falling into his hands. “He had a seizure then passed out. Mark doesn’t know what’s wrong, the scan came back negative.” He starts to feel a headache forming at his temples, wondering why today is going so badly.

“He’s going to be okay, right?”

“I don’t know Youngjae,” he says, not bothering to look up from where he leans on the armrest with his eyes closed. “He’s not waking up, so it’s pretty serious.”

Youngjae doesn’t comment anything further, for which Jaebum is grateful. Youngjae hasn’t done anything wrong, he’s just grown tired of so much human interaction already. It’s quiet for a few minutes, and Jaebum is finally able to find some peace of mind when Jackson calls for him.

“Um Jaebum, I’m receiving a request for a video transmission.”

Honestly, if Jaebum wasn’t such an understanding person he would have duct taped Jackson’s mouth closed by now. “From who?”

“It’s a foreign transmission signal, but I think it’s…” A pause. Jaebum counts the seconds in his head. “Jinyoung.”

The captain immediately jumps to his feet, not bothering to wonder how that’s possible before he’s telling Jackson to accept the call.

From the first second the image comes into fruition, Jaebum’s got his heart caught in his throat. It’s Jinyoung alright, back straight and cold eyes staring straight ahead. Only, it’s not their Jinyoung. It’s seemingly impossible that the alternate universe’s Jinyoung is calling them, but Jaebum gets one look at the other version of him standing by and knows it’s real.

Jaebum wants to say ‘ _a little_ ’, but can’t even find the spit to swallow. Even though this isn’t his Jinyoung, he still has his face, and Jaebum hasn’t hasn’t seen either of them in so long. “How did you…? I thought we would not be able to make contact after our universes passed each other.”

“You are correct, my friend. But we have been developing a signal wave that can transcend other realities,” the vulcan explains, looking proud. But then his eyes downcast, growing hard. “But that is not why I have reached you. I know about Jinyoung’s passing, and I wanted to send my condolences to you and your crew.”

Jinyoung speaking about his own passing is strange, but Jaebum accepts the words of comfort. “Thanks but, how did you know?” To his knowledge, no one from either side has had contact with each other since the initial first meeting last year.

“I cannot explain it myself, but it appears we are connected in some way. I felt it in my soul as soon as it happened, and I could only guess as to why. I was also curious about where you put his katra, since Vulcan does not exist in your world.”

Jaebum blinks twice. “I’m sorry, his what?”

“His katra?” He says, like Jaebum is supposed to know what he’s talking about. “It is the essence of his soul. Where have you sent it?”

Okay wait, hold up. They were supposed to send his soul somewhere? That wasn't in the vulcan burial how-to.

“Um, we… didn’t?”

Jinyoung’s eyes grow wide. “You did not bury his katra? Surely he told you to before he passed?”

“We didn’t get much time together before he died. Why is this so important?”

The other Jinyoung leans forward with his elbows on his knees, speaking like he’s giving a lecture. “It is important because a vulcan’s katra _must_ be transferred upon death, or else he or she may not be able to pass judgement into our concept of heaven. Before a vulcan dies they will pass their katra into the next living thing, and then the soul is released through a ceremony we perform. Who is the last person Jinyoung was with before he passed?”

“It was me,” Jaebum remembers. But Jinyoung said or did nothing to indicate any soul was given. “But he didn’t give me anything.”

“Did he meld with you at all in his last moments?”

Jinyoung has only shared their minds once. “No, he never touched me. He died in the warp core chamber.”

Jinyoung sits back, squinting his eyes, like the mention of his doppelganger's death physically pains him.  “Surely there must have been someone he was in contact with before he went into the chamber.”

Jaebum zones out, thinking back to the dark day he’s been trying for weeks to forget. The only other person in the room when Jaebum got there was Bambam. He remembers Bambam telling him he tried to stop Jinyoung from sacrificing himself. “He was with Bambam but I don’t think-” he stops, everything becoming clear as day. Why Bambam had been complaining about headaches, and why he lies unconscious a few floors down for seemingly to explanation. “He must have given it to Bambam. He’s been having really bad migraines ever since and not even an hour ago he had a seizure. He hasn’t woken up yet.”

“Then it is already almost too late,” the vulcan sits up straighter. “There are two living souls now inside of him fighting to co-exist, and the mind cannot handle that much pressure. You must transfer the katra from Bambam as soon as possible or he may never wake up.” Jaebum wants to ask how, but the other Jinyoung speaks first, like he read his mind. “Only a vulcan priest can undo what has been done. We can stabilize a transmission and I can have my best transported to you.”

Jaebum is so desperate now to save Bambam’s life that he agrees immediately. There are two living souls inside of him, but that gets Jaebum thinking. If Jinyoung’s soul is still alive, would here be any way to get it back inside him? Would he get the chance to live again?

“It is possible,” Captain Park informs, rising to meet the other Jaebum. “Contact Master Youngsik,” he tells him before facing the screen again. “But the Fal-tor-pan ritual is not without great risk to the katra holder and the deceased. As well the body must be living, otherwise his soul will remain in a lifeless corpse for eternity.”

Jaebum plays the information back in his head, critically analyzing every option they have. If they can find a way to revive Jinyoung’s body, they can return his soul and he will have the chance to live again.

He suddenly remembers what Mark had said to him moments ago about the superhuman blood reviving a dead tribble. His eyes snap up.

“I know how we can save his body.”

 

 

They race to earth on blind faith with the only option they have to save both Bambam and Jinyoung’s lives. There’s no guarantee the Fal-tor-pan ritual will work, but they have to try. If it doesn’t bring Jinyoung back, then they will at least have saved Bambam, and Jaebum will not have lost another friend.

The vulcan priest Jinyoung sent over, Youngsik, is far older than them and much wiser. She is to carry out the ritual using only her hands and her mind, but assures them she can do it.

It’s a bit morbid, to disturb Jinyoung’s dead body from his resting sight, but Jaebum pulls through the pent up pain as they set his corpse down on the marble slab inside the small windowless room. Even though Jinyoung looks no different than when they buried him, dressed up in his best suit, Jaebum still has to take a moment to himself before they can start the process.

Yugyeom lies Bambam down on the opposite end of the marble, unrisen and unresponsive. Though Yugyeom is the tallest one of them all, Jabeum’s never seen him look so small as he overflows with worry for the one he loves.

They gather around the two bodies -Jaebum, Yugyeom, Jackson, Youngjae- with Youngsik in the middle. Mark has an even bigger job, getting a blood and cell sample from the superhumans that he can fuse into Jinyoung’s body for the regeneration.

Youngshik tosses her brown robe over her head and has them take each other’s hands as they form a circle around the three. Jaebum knows his hands are trembling, and takes comfort in the light squeeze Yugyeom sends his way. After all, it is their lovers who are at the receiving end of this transferal.

Youngsik begins the ritual by laying her palms flat against Jinyoung and Bambam’s foreheads before shutting her eyes tightly. Jaebum and the crew can only watch on in hope that she can successfully save the two.

The priestess’ breathing steadies, and she begins humming under hear breath, a low tone that echoes off the mausoleum walls. As her mouth opens, a string of words flow out that can only be of vulcan origin, an incantation not doubt used to prompt the transferal. The air drops in temperature noticeably as the winds shift. Outside a spark of lightning lights up the sky.

After only a few minutes Youngsik’s eyes fly open. She removes her hands and bows, ending the ceremony.

Jaebum looks around the room dumbfounded “That’s it?”

 

 

That’s all the ceremony was, matter of factly. It was so uneventful that Jaebum was left wondering if anything even happened at all. It was quick but not without great pain to Youngsik, as the priestess had informed them before she departed for the other world.

 They move Jinyoung and Bambam’s bodies back onto the ship, Mark ready with the blood for the transfusion. After successfully hooking Jinyoung up to a blood drip, injecting him with new stem cells and giving him a breathing tube, both officers are placed under Mark’s care in the medical wing.  Only time will tell if either of them wake up.

Jaebum doesn’t know when Yugyeom finds time to sleep, because every moment he goes to see if Jinyoung’s condition has improved, the ensign is curled up at the side of Bambam’s bed. It’s excessive, but he gets it. Jaebum would do the same if he didn’t have a ship to run.

By the end of the third day after the Fal-tor-pan ceremony, everyone is starting to lose hope that Bambam will ever wake up.

But then just around midnight right when Mark starts to usher Yugyeom to bed, a miracle happens.

A rustling from Bambam’s area startles the pair, and they spin around to see the other officer sitting up on his own depleted of all energy.

“What happened?” He asks tiredly, eyes fighting to remain open.

Yugyeom doesn’t even give him a chance to answer before suffocating him in a bruising hug and kissing him softly.

Bambam waking up is great news to the rest of the ship, and Yugyeom’s happiness levels are at an all-time high. Jaebum is happy for both his officers and he gives Bambam the longest embrace of his life, but wishes he could relate. Bambam was able to wake up, but there’s still no telling if Jinyoung will, or if his body will even revive itself.

Then things happen very fast. By the end of the first week after the ritual, Jinyoung’s heart starts beating on it’s own. The monitor beeps softly at first, and Jaebum wonders if he even heard it at all. But it picks up, and Jinyoung’s skin becomes a healthy color again. Mark says by reinfusing his body with new blood, the constant flow to the heart was able to restart it. They’re one step closer, and Jaebum finally has hope.

Before the second week is even over Jinyoung starts breathing on his own, and Mark has to remove the oxygen tubes from his mouth to prevent him from choking. Seeing the gentle and now _voluntary_ rise and fall of Jinyoung’s chest has Jaebum holding back a few tears. He kisses the skin on Jinyoung’s regenerated hand before heading back to the solace of his own room.

Jaebum sits at Jinyoung’s side most nights while his body repairs itself, more often than not falling asleep in his chair curled over the bed. He wakes up sore and to Mark’s disapproving look, but doesn’t mind. He’s just waiting for Jinyoung to wake up, as Mark says will only happen when his body is ready.

He wants to be there when Jinyoung finally opens his eyes again, and the anticipation for the moment is eating him alive. He’s jumping out of his skin, and everyone knows. He’s just so close to being able to have Jinyoung again that he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Sure it’s about the love thing, because hey, he loves Jinyoung and he selfishly wants to be with him again. But it’s also about Jinyoung just being alive, because he deserves to live a long and prosperous life.

Jaebum gets the call at 11:47 on a Tuesday morning. He’s out of his seat and in the medical bay by 11:50.

He’s got a lump in his throat and can’t really feel his legs, not knowing what to expect. He definitely doesn’t expect to see Jinyoung bright and full of joy as Mark runs a scan on him. Jinyoung rises to his feet when Jaebum enters, still dressed in the god-awful suit from his funeral that smells like mothballs and death. He looks radiant, skin emitting a healthy glow as his eyes find Jaebum’s.

The human just has to take a moment, pinching himself to make sure this is all real. The skin burns from where he pinches his wrist, which is a good sign. Jaebum travels his gaze over every inch of Jinyoung’s living, breathing body, exhaling shakily before landing on his face. Jaebum’s eyes are already glossy, and when Jinyoung speaks, every feeling he’s had for the past month pool at the corners.

“You employed the fal-tor-pan. I didn’t even think it was possible,” the vulcan smiles shyly before eyeing him up and down. “Well? What are you doing standing all the way over there for?”

That’s all it takes for Jaebum’s to break, not even bothering to wipe his eyes as he takes Jinyoung in his arms for the first time in what feels like forever. He’s skinnier than before, and Jaebum stops himself from squeezing too tight, no matter how much he wants to. But he’s warm, and his breath is heated from where Jaebum feels it on his neck.

“I missed you so much,” he gasps, finding it harder to breath now that the moment he’s been waiting for plays out before his eyes.

“I missed you too,” Jinyoung says when he pulls back, fresh tear tracks staining his face that mirrors the human’s. He moves to brush Jaebum’s own wetness away. “Please do not cry.”

Jaebum takes his turn, wiping away Jinyoung’s own tears, but not removing his hands from his cheeks. “Then please don’t die again, you stupid selfless bastard.”

Jinyoung laughs. It’s such a beautiful sound. “Reverting to name calling indicates you are defensive and find my request-”

Jaebum silences him with the press of their lips together. They’ve spent too much time talking already when they could be kissing. It’s happy and wet, their mouths moving together after having been apart for so long.

Jinyoung pulls back unable to keep the smile off his face, “Avoiding my assessment means that you are not-”

Another kiss cuts Jinyoung off mid sentence, Jaebum too amused by the moment to care. They’ve got all the time in the world for Jinyoung to psychoanalyze him, right now Jaebum just wants to feel him again, to make sure this isn’t a dream. After feeling broken for so long, he finally feels whole again, like he’s a rag doll and Jinyoung holds the needle and thread.

Eventually Jinyoung gives up on what he’s trying to say, giving into the closeness of being with Jaebum again. They kiss unabashedly in the middle of the medical wing, not caring whether or not Mark is watching.

 

 

 

Jinyoung being back has attracted a large crowd around him, everyone from the engine room to the cafeterias to the bridge. It’s nice. It feels like everything is normal again, even if Jaebum still has trouble believing it.

“Don’t you ever go inside my head again,” Bambam warns seriously, but then chuckles as he pulls Jinyoung into a fierce hug.

Jackson finds himself wrapped in Jinyoung’s embrace too, weeping so much that Jinyoung doesn’t know how to handle it. He looks to Jaebum for help, but he can only laugh on as Jackson refuses to let go of his best friend.

Eventually Mark ushers everyone out, insisting that Jinyoung stay in his care until he’s certain he’s one hundred percent fine. He allows Jaebum to stay only because they’ve been apart for so long, and it takes all his self control not to jump into Jinyoung’s bed and suffocate him.

They spend the night wrapped in each other, Jaebum peppering Jinyoung’s face with kisses and whispers of declarations of love.

He gets discharged in the morning, and while Jaebum walks Jinyoung to his room, he catches him up on everything that’s happened while he was gone. From the events after his passing with the superhumans to the missions they’ve been on in his absence, Jinyoung listens contently, albeit a little disappointed that he wasn’t there to experience them. Jaebum knows the feeling.

“And then Youngjae had to translate from like Cryptonese, or something, but the guy still didn’t understand what he was saying and we ended up-” Jaebum freezes when they reach his room, remembering he hasn’t told Jinyoung about the cats he’s been harboring in his absence. “Oh shit, um,” he doesn’t even know where to begin to explain what’s behind his door. He doesn’t even know if Jinyoung likes cats or not. “So I might have taken your death really hard so just, don’t freak out when you see what’s in my room.”

Squinting, Jinyoung crosses his arms. “Alright.”

Jaebum sighs. Without further adieu he lets Jinyoung in and waits for the revelation. “So I might have gotten-”

“You have acquired a cat in my absence?” He sounds shocked, glancing down at Nora who lays on the bed with her head tucked in her paws.

“Not exactly.”

At the ring of their voices Kunta pokes his head out from the bathroom, meowing when he sees Jaebum. Jinyoung’s eyebrows rise.

“You have acquired two cats in my absence?”

Jaebum bites his lip, “You’re getting warmer.”

Jinyoung tries to decipher what Jaebum means when a foreign object brushes up against his ankle. He glances down, only to be met with a ball of white fur nudging his leg. He looks back up at Jaebum in alarm. “Three cats? Were you really that lonely in my absence?”

Jaebum tries and fails to look ashamed. “I mean, you were gone Jinyoung. I didn’t mean to adopt them all, it just kind of happened. They were a really good coping mechanism.”

He picks up Odd and holds him in his arms. Jinyoung is unsure at first, but then reaches a hand out to  tentatively stroke the cat’s head. “I cannot believe I have been replaced by three small felines.”

“Oh please, I could never replace you,” he says jokingly, gesturing for Jinyoung to hold his arms out. He’s cautious at first, but seems to warm up to the contact when Jaebum hands Odd over. “Besides, who would I have to whisper chemical equations in my ear when they’re sleeping?”

It was only one time, but Jinyoung still rolls his eyes, cradling the cat softly. “You are impossible.”

“God, I actually missed hearing that everyday,” Jaebum hums contently before leaning in and stealing another kiss. His eyes taking in the image of Jinyoung steadily rocking Odd to sleep. Odd seems to have taken a liking to him, and the sight makes Jaebum’s heart warm.

Jaebum ushers them to the bed, formally introducing everyone to each other. They lay there speaking languidly to each other for a while, Nora sandwiched in between their legs. Odd has fallen asleep on Jinyoung’s chest, and Kunta is off somewhere enjoying his cat food. It all feels so domestic.

“So what do you think of them?”

Jinyoung’s hand pauses from where it scratches down Nora’s back. His eyes smile. “They are quite lovely creatures, Jaebum. I find myself strangely drawn to them.”

A chuckle exits the captain’s mouth. He pecks his boyfriend’s cheek once and lays his head on his shoulder. “Good.”

 

 

Because Jinyoung basically came back from the dead, he’s not allowed to resume his position until Starfleet can do a full evaluation of him. That means blood samples, cognitive tests, and brain scans for the next couple of weeks. Starfleet has also decided to evaluate Jaebum and his leadership skills during this time too, since he’s now permanent captain. Before, it had been okay that he had not been trained to be a captain, since he was only filling in until JYP returned. But now that Park is dead, Jaebum has to be trained like an official leader.

This meant he would have to step away from the ship too, so Starfleet decided to just put their entire schedules on hiatus for the time being. With the Got7 on hold until their evaluations are done, the rest of the crew is free to do whatever they please; almost like a mini-vacation.

Jaebum and Jinyoung utilise this time off to their advantage when they’re not bombarded by Starfleet, falling into each other once more. They are reaquainted with each other’s minds, emotions, and bodies, making up for so much lost time. Jaebum makes sure to show Jinyoung everyday just how much he loves him, and Jinyoung doesn’t hesitate to tell him the same.

They stay together in Jaebum’s old place he had before shipping off last year, along with the cats. It’s sweet and domestic; Jaebum wonders if this is what it’ll be like after their 5-year mission is over. If it is, then these next four years can’t fly by fast enough.

Apparently, Jinyoung had no idea that his mother left behind any family members, so it comes as a surprise when his aunt shows up at their door with her daughter in tow. Jaebum wasn’t expecting her at all, but Jisung had been informed by Starfleet that Jinyoung was alive and jumped on the first flight out.

Jinyoung is shocked at first, having had no clue he had any family still out there. Once the hysteria settles and he’s able to process it, he introduces himself properly to his aunt and her seven year old daughter, Somin. Jisung is years younger than his mother would have been, and she loves to tell stories about Hyeojin when they were young. Somin is cute; she’s shy at first but opens up quickly, continuously asking Jinyoung about his pointy ears.

“Are you an elf?” She giggles, jumping into his lap. He’s never dealt with kids before so he’s kind of at a loss of what to. He ends up patting her head lightly, reminiscent of what he does when one of the cats climbs onto him.

“No, I am a vulcan-human hybrid. My father was vulcan, and my mother, your aunt, was human.”

Somin looks at him dead set in the eyes. “You would have been cooler if you were an elf.”

Jinyoung doesn’t even have time to be offended by the mind of the seven year old before she’s climbing off his legs and chasing down one of the cats. Jaebum falls into a fit of giggles to the other side of him, so Jinyoung can’t find it in himself to be annoyed. She’s still a child afterall.

Jisung looks very similar to his mother, only younger with more defined features. It’s very easy to see the familial ties between the two, and Jinyoung immediately recognizes the traits he shares with both of them, from their eye shape to the bridges of their noses.

“You look just like your mother,” she makes sure to tell him when she bundles up Somin, who had fallen asleep on Jaebum’s bed cuddled around Nora.

The compliment makes him happy. Having some resemblance of a family again makes him even happier. Jinyoung and Jaebum spend the week with his aunt and cousin before they have to catch their flight back to Korea. It is awkward at first, but Jinyoung’s come to enjoy their presence a great deal (even if Somin does introduce him to everyone she meets as ‘my cousin, Jinyoung the Elf), and promises her one day she can take a ride on their starship if she wants. He also promises to keep in touch with her and Jisung, wondering if it’s already too early to ask if they can spend Christmas together.

Mark and Jackson had put their wedding on hold when Jinyoung died, not wanting to pretend to be happy when they weren’t. Now that they have time off, they find it perfect, because it means they can honeymoon as long as it takes for Starfleet to give them the go ahead to get back in space.

The wedding isn’t too big or too small, just big enough to fit the crew plus Mark’s side of the family. Jackson couldn’t risk contacting Suclora again, so none of his family actually attend, which means Jinyoung has two jobs: best man and walking Jackson down the aisle.

The ceremony takes place on a long strip of the beach near Mark’s home town in Marin County, breeze lightly dancing through oceans of black and red. Jaebum walks down first, standing at the side of the altar in front of Mark’s family, dressed his best in a black suit he finally had time to buy. Mark follows second, arms held on both sides by his mom and dad, proud to be giving their son away. Jinyoung leads Jackson down last, eyes glistening under the luminescence of the bright light in the sky. Jackson makes eye contact with Mark and suddenly nothing else exists as they take each other’s hands before their family and friends.

The wedding goes by quickly, but the love is still there. Jaebum sneaks glances at Jinyoung every so often, and Jinyoung gives him a knowing smile that says ‘ _Maybe this can be us one day’._ Mark is shy when he delivers his vows, having to confess his feelings in front of his family. Jackson delivers his own in the bold way that only Jackson Wang can, jumpy on his feet as he pours every ounce of his soul into his fiance.

The ceremony ends when the officiant says, “You may now kiss your groom,” Jackson not waiting any longer to hoist Mark up so his legs come around his waist and seals their union with a bruising kiss.

They have the reception under a long white tent, and Jackson and Mark never leave each other’s side the entire time, too lost in their moment and their devoted love for one another.

Before the dancing begins, Jaebum stands in front of the party and taps his crystal glass with the end of his knife. “Hi, I’m Jaebum. Best man to groom number one,” there’s a boo off to the side sounding familiarly like Yugyeom, and he sets a reminder to kick his ass later for it. “I thought I would say something to newlyweds. I’ve known them over two years now, and I can truly say they are perfect for each other, no matter how gross they get when they’re together.”

He reaches into his pocket and procures a thin slip of paper, faded from the years of worn. He’s saved it all this time. “Mark and Jackson pined for each other really obviously, and everyone could see it but them. Believe me, it wasn’t pretty. Mark had a really big crush, and he would talk to me about Jackson all the time. Well one of those times Mark and I just happened to be drunk, and Mark just happened to write a letter for me to give to Jackson because he was too scared. I kept it all this time, so Jackson, I will now finally give it to you.”

The recognition dawns on Mark’s face as soon as he says it, dropping his head into his hands. “I thought I threw that away.”

Jaebum snickers at his friend’s misfortune before lifting the sloppy drunk letter up and clearing his throat. “My sexy man Jackson,” Mark’s head thunks on the table. “I’m really drink right now, but I wanted to let you know that you are sososososososososososooooooooo hot. Ever time I look at you I think I’ve gone to heaven. Your face is so cute I want to kisses(?) it. I thikn about you all the time, do you think of me? I hope you do. Jaebum is telling me to turn of the light now, but I wanna tell yuo that your abs are delicioos and I want to lick chocolate off them. Aaaaahhhhhahahahahaha, Mark.”

When his spiel is over, Mark’s gone red in the face, torn by the embarrassment but also looking at him like he’s ready to kill. Jackson on the other hand only finds it endearing, grinning so wide his face threatens to split.

A few more people give toasts, from Mark’s dad to Yugyeom, and even Jinyoung says a few words to the couple. Their speeches are nothing like Jaebum’s, but the love is still felt. Jaebum is especially happy that Jinyoung is able to tell everyone how Mark and Jackson made him believe in real love.

The newlyweds have their traditional first dance to a sweet Caribbean song that only the two of them know. They are positively happy gliding with each other across the floor, and when the DJ ushers more couples to join in, Jaebum slips his hand into Jinyoung’s and tugs him along. They stagger a bit trying to find their footwork, but find the draw of each other more important, not caring how ridiculous they look as they try to maintain their waltz.

It’s nice, to be open about who they are to each other. They don’t have to worry about the crew finding out, or it getting to Starfleet, because they already know. Starfleet had brought them into a conference, and President Jeon stated, “If I don’t see it, then I can’t say it exists now can I?” Needless to say, it was a slick bypass of the rules.

“You know, the best man is supposed to sleep with the maid of honor,” Jaebum starts, holding Jinyoung close. “But since there is no maid of honor, I guess we’ll just have to sleep with each other.”

The vulcan pinches his brow. “Humans will always remain mysterious to me. This is a rule during weddings? What if one of them is married to another?”

“It’s not a real rule.” It takes Jaebum all he has not to laugh at the misunderstanding, knowing the joke would have gone over Jinyoung’s head. “I was making a joke about us sleeping together.”

The admission dawns on him, but Jinyoung remains passive, swaying lightly to the beat. “I see. If you wanted to sleep with me Jaebum, all you had to do was ask.”

Jaebum has to duck his head down to hide the blush licking its way up his cheeks. He hopes Jinyoung will never change. “Well then after the reception is over, I might have to take you up on that offer.”

Jinyoung’s laugh is soft in his ear from where they mold against each other, moving to their own beat instead of the one ringing through the speakers. Jaebum peers around the dance floor as they step, taking in the sights of his crew enjoying their time together not trapped in a tin can floating through space.

Bambam and Yugyeom move together slowly from where their arms are wrapped around each other, eyes locked with smiles shining bright. Yugyeom bends down to press his lips against Bambam’s cheek, to which the smaller boy grins even wider and lays his head against Yugyeom’s shoulder. Youngjae doesn’t have a partner so instead of slow dancing he rushes to the middle of the floor and begins breakdancing widely, causing the rest to take in the sight before joining his antics.

The precious time with his crew makes Jaebum’s heart melt, and as he claps along to Jackson somersaulting, he realizes just how much he misses them all being together. When the evaluations are over and the Wang-Tuans are back from their honeymoon, they can have a slice of this normalcy once more. The day can’t come fast enough.

When it comes time for the tradition of throwing the bouquet/garter, they have to improvise since the wedding is brideless and none of those objects actually exist. They decide to jointly throw the cake topper to every eligible bachelor and bachelorette, no matter if they’re in a relationship or not. Which means Jaebum and Jinyoung are reluctantly dragged onto the floor, Jinyoung albeit even more muddled about this practice than the last, asking how catching it has any correlation to when you’re going to get married.

Mark and Jackson stand before the crowd with their arms positioned, ready to toss it back. Before they do Jackson makes quick eye contact with Yugyeom to the side, something Jaebum doesn’t have enough time to decipher before the cake topper is launched in the air. Yugyeom and Bambam move closer seemingly to try and catch it, but in reality all they do is move up behind Jinyoung. It takes all of a nano second for Jaebum to realize what’s happening before Jinyoung is given a hard push to the middle of the floor.

The topper falls directly into his hands, reflexes working fast to catch it so it doesn’t land on his face. The crowd erupts into exhilarated laughter and whooping noises -Yugyeom and Bambam collapsing to the floor struggling to find air. Jinyoung only looks to Jaebum with eyes wide when he processes what it means and Jackson slaps him on the back.

A few of the other members barade Jaebum with hoots and hollers, and even though a bit of embarrassment tugs at him, he can’t help but feel prosperous at the thought of him and Jinyoung being next. They still have a long way to go of course before they’re ready for that, but maybe one day it can be a part of their equation. By the way Jinyoung flushes red and shyly meets his gaze, Jaebum knows the idea is not lost to him either.

 

 

On the 79th day of the new year the crew of the USS Got7 receive their clearing to be recommissioned to space. Jinyoung had passed all his tests and evaluations, and Jaebum has learned even more from the higher ups on what it takes to be a true captain.

Jinyoung isn’t with Jaebum the moment he gets the call, but Jaebum knows exactly where he is. He finds Jinyoung sitting on the same marble bench he goes to most days, nestled right in the middle of the High Council exhibit in the Vulcan Museum of History. Jaebum had made it a top priority to bring Jinyoung here to finally see the display of all the musings of vulcankind, so they would not be lost in the memory that only he carries.

As Jaebum approaches, he’s careful not to disturb Jinyoung as he sits before the mural of the most recent members of the high council, his head bowed. He must not have been quiet enough, because soon Jinyoung’s standing up.

“Please, join me.” His eyes never waver from the mural, tracing over the still image of his father and mother breathtakingly holding their positions in the council.

The museum is empty, not because of low visitors but because Jinyoung gets special clearance during the after hours. Jaebum snakes his arms around Jinyoung’s waist and leans his chin on his shoulder.

“They would have been so proud of you, you know.”

Jinyoung tucks his head down to hide a smile. He fails. “Have I ever told you how thankful I am that you came into my life?”

“Hm… let’s see, almost everyday?” The older presses his lips to the soft spot he loves above the pulse point of Jinyoung’s neck. He sighs with content. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

“No,” the vulcan deadpans, bursting into laughter when Jaebum’s face falters just the slightest. Jaebum registers the joke slower than he should have; Jinyoung’s gotten good at making them now. He comes to interlace their fingers from where Jaebum is still holding his waist. “I suppose I love you too.”

“You _suppose_?” Jaebum sing-songs, pinching the commander’s side until he squirms. He forgot how sensitive Jinyoung is to touch, not missing the opportunity to tickle him into oblivion. Jinyoung tries to free himself from his hold, but Jaebum has a slight advantage over him, molding their sides together until Jinyoung is gasping for air. The sound of the vulcan’s joyous laughter makes Jaebum forget about the rest of the world, basking in the beautiful sound.

“You better love me.” When Jinyoung’s had enough, Jaebum finally relinquishes his from his vice grip, planting a kiss on his lips that Jinyoung melts into. They stay wrapped in each other, mouths reaching an easy rhythm under the white lights until Jinyoung pulls back.

“Shall we depart now?”

In the closet in Jaebum’s quarters lay the rows of yellow shirts he’s led the ship in more often than not. It’s finally time to dawn the polyester deathtrap once more. The fabric molds to his skin, the golden insignia a permanent marker of who he’s come to be. In the very back of the closet sits the retro uniform shirt that formerly belonged to his dad. They had all hoped Jaebum would wear it one day, to keep the legacy of his father alive.

But as Jaebum lets the faded fabric slip between his fingers, he finally knows he shouldn’t have to live up to the legacy left behind by his father. He gets to make his own legacy now, not as Jaebum, son of a fallen war hero, but as Im Jaebum, captain of the Starship Got7.

He enters the bridge with a skip in his step, slowly getting used to the feeling of having permanent reign over the ship. Because this is _his_ ship, and this is _his_ crew. It’s belonged to him since the very beginning.

As he gets settled in his chair after what seems like years, Jinyoung comes to stand by his side, arms crossed behind his back. “And where does our destination lie today, Captain?”

The warmth of familiarity that comes with the two of them commanding the ship once more has Jaebum struggling to bite down his smile. He takes one of Jinyoung’s hands in his and brushes his lips over the soft skin.

“Why don’t we just cruise for a little while?”

Jinyoung flushes and untangles their hands in a hurry before holding them behind his back again. “Captain, may I ask you to refrain from personal displays of affection while on duty? Starfleet professionalism quite asks for it.”

Jaebum scoffs, “Of course, Mr. Park. Your wish is my command.”

Off to the side, Yugyeom gags over dramatically. “You know what? I take back what I said before. You guys _are_ worse than Mark and Jackson.”

“At least they’re not as bad as you and Bambam!” Jackson exclaims halfheartedly. “And anyways, Mark and I can out-disgust all your asses by how in love we are!”

Jaebum thinks they’ve already won since they literally just got married, but he never backs down from a challenge, and this sounds like a challenge. “Fine then, a love-off! You and Mark versus Yugyeom and Bambam versus me and Jinyoung. Youngjae can be the judge.”

Youngjae, who had been previously snickering quietly over their conversation spins around in alarm. “Hey, I didn’t sign up for any of that!”

“Please Captain,” Jinyoung looks up from his station. “I do recall just mentioning an air of professionalism? And besides, I believe it is time for us to set course.”

The captain glances down at the clock on his armrest -Jinyoung’s right. This conversation of them competing to be the most annoying couple will have to resume later. Jaebum wipes the grin from his face and goes back to the mindset of a captain.

“Lieutenant Choi, are our communication systems booted up?”

“Yes sir, all frequency waves are open.”

He takes his handheld comm on lifts it to his ear. “Bambam, how’s our ship? Ready to fly?”

" _Waiting on your command, Captain.”_

Jaebum takes the sight on his crew in, inhaling deeply. This is exactly where he’s meant to be.

“Lieutenant Wang, take us to the stars.”

 

 

_“Stardate 2051.79. This is your commanding officer, Captain Im. Today marks the next four years of our five year mission. We’ve been through hardships, tussled with klingons, faced attacks, and lost many along the way. But it is not in our nature to run when times are tough. Though we have faced countless moments of disarray, we come together each time as a family, stronger than ever before. We are officers of Starfleet, we will do whatever’s necessary to keep this ship running. I will do everything I can to keep you all running as well. As your captain, I only ask that you do your best. As your friend, I say kick ass and make them remember who we are.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I'm just.... Happy but also super sad at the same time bc this fic has literally been my life for the past couple of months...? I never thought I would finish it but I'm glad it's done and I hope you all enjoyed the roller coaster of a ride this was with me. I won't leave this universe, believe me one day I'll come back to it and do something else whether it's just a few one-shots or a full blown sequel. Only time will tell. I'll be posting other fics too so be on the lookout for those in the near future ;)
> 
> Once again I have to thank my beta Mel, madeuplovesong who read everything and fixed all my mistakes. I love you bb :))
> 
> Pls give this fic lots of love and don't be shy, come say hi to me on tumblr @verse2sus or on twitter @LILPEPIVERT.
> 
> I thank you all so much for reading xxx


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